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Spring Flings
Late last month the Park Commission voted to recommend moving the 18-hole short course to a 9-hole course behind Caper Acres, a popular local playground. Later this month the City Council could adopt this recommendation. Probably the biggest news is that the Park Commission will likely also recommend that both highway 32 disc golf courses be closed until new studies can be completed. This would happen on April 13th. The city has already spent $700,000 on the existing studies and a master plan. Our effort to form a non-profit is moving forward, and the custom fundraising discs have been ordered. They should be available by May. I would encourage everyone who wants disc golf to remain in Bidwell Park to get involved. If this effort does not succeed disc golf will not continue at highway 32. Lon Glazner President, Chico Outsiders lon@chico-outsiders.com |
Chico Outsiders 501(c)(3)
We're in the process of filing as a California Corporation, and have populated an initial board of directors. This is the first step in forming a non-profit corporation.
The Corporation is being organized for the charitable and educational purposes of promoting environmental stewardship, healthful living, and personal responsibility through outdoor recreation.
The primary project we hope to accomplish is the funding, construction, and maintenance of the highway 32 long course. To fund the startup of the corporation we are selling custom discs for $20 / each. See the custom disc stamp here. The discs are a mix of putters, mid-ranges, and drivers, and are Innova brand discs. 56 discs have been reserved and 44 remain. If you would like to reserve a disc send us an email ( info@chico-outsiders.com). |
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Tax Exempt Donation for Disc Golf
Small or large tax exempt donations can be made via the Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation. These funds cannot be used to start our separate non-profit, but will be used to purchase disc golf equipment as approved by the Foundation.
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Rain Check
At its April 13th meeting the Park Commission will likely recommend the closure of both the short and long highway 32 disc golf courses for "restoration". This would then move to the City Council for consideration. On January 6th the City Council supported keeping the courses open and unanimously supported a motion that included this sentence.
...Also that the current site off Highway 32 be allowed to continue in operation until a short course is located, acquired if necessary, and prepared for use.
The Park Commission wants to close the courses for additional soil studies and to allow the site to recover from wet weather erosion. Here are some important things to remember.
1. The city spent $700,000 on an EIR that includes soil studies. No new studies are required.
2. The courses did not need to be closed for those studies to occur.
3. The city has never written a wet weather policy for disc golf, nor do they have an ordinance to prevent wet weather park use by pedestrians.
4. The city has never attempted to educate park users on why wet weather erosion might be a problem.
5. The city has not identified any specific wet weather erosion problem sites at highway 32.
6. The city has not defined how or what might define "recovery" of an eroded site.
7. The wet season is nearly over, and most of the currently used disc golf site is supposed to be relocated or re-aligned thus making erosion concerns moot.
8. There is no attempt to review the rest of the park, or other park uses, for the same wet weather issues.
If the closure of disc golf occurs for this reason it would be a targeted attempt to remove disc golf from highway 32. There is no other logical reason for this decision to be made.
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Robin's Tale
It has been 1 year since the grand opening of the Sherwood Forest Kids Disc Golf Course. And it has seen a lot of use. Players of all ages and all skill levels have made it a regular place to play, which was the intention.
Also since the grand opening Gregg has been out there rattle snake wrangling and a large load of wood chips were spread out to fill in the holes in the rocks where the snakes were seen.
We want to again thank CARD and everyone else who helped make Sherwood Forest possible. Without all of you this would have been a much more challenging project to complete. And we also want to remind everyone of a few things...
1. Watch out for the snakes again. Don't stick your hands in any gaps or cracks in the rocks. Especially by holes 2 and 3.
2. Watch out for the construction equipment. Kids love the "big boy toys" but please keep them a safe distance away from the trucks and tractors and other equipment so they can do their jobs safely.
3. Since this is a kid's course, please refrain from smoking when you are playing. And there is no drinking allowed anywhere in the park.
And finally, since it is spring, get outside and have fun!
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Short Comings
The Park Commission recommended that the 18 hole short course be moved to a location behind Caper Acres. This was the only area that wasn't opposed by a group of neighbors, environmental groups, or equestrians.
The City Council may make a decision on the short course location at its April 21st meeting.
Although the Caper Acres site is a good location for some disc golf, it's hard to describe it as a replacement for the existing 18 hole course. But at the very least it is a step in the right direction.
1. Carrying Capacity - The existing beginner course can be full at peak use periods during spring and early summer. Estimates range from 400-700 people using the site per day.
An 18 hole course can carry 18 holes x 5 people. Assuming 8 rounds of disc golf can be played during daylight a course can carry up to 720 users per day. A 9 hole course can carry 360 users. Replacing the 18 hole course with a 9 hole would be insufficient for existing use.
2. Park Experience - The park experience provided by a 9 hole course behind Caper Acres is significantly different from the 18 hole beginner course at highway 32. There is no room for long holes, and fewer holes mean fewer challenges. But the site would be much more technical than Sherwood Forest.
This site is well shaded and close to swimming areas, so it offers some park experiences not available at highway 32.
3. Safety - The site is bounded on three sides by heavily used paths and on one side by a heavily used playground. It's not clear yet whether 9 holes will fit on the property when aligned for safety.
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Mr. Buzzworm
It's rattlesnake season again, and for outsiders that's something to keep in mind when playing in the park. To see a photo of a Bidwell Park rattlesnake (taken while disc golfing) visit this web page.
If you run across a rattlesnake do not kill it. They are an important part of the ecosystem.
If you run across a large number of rattlesnakes consider contacting the Park Department or CARD so they can place warning signs in the area.
Last year a large number of rattlesnakes were spotted near holes 2 and 3 of the Sherwood Forest disc golf course during Easter. There has been a lot of construction in that area, and more human activity than in previous years, so those snakes may have moved away. But that area along the levee is a site where you should pay close attention for snakes.
Rattlesnakes will come out of their dens at this time of year, and as we near summer they will migrate to their hunting grounds. During this time frame when they are waking up and moving we can expect to see them more often.
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