Sherwood Forest Expansion :
On June 18th, 2010 the Chico Outsiders signed an operating agreement with the City of Chico to build and maintain Peregrine Point disc golf course in Bidwell Park. As part of that agreement the City of Chico was required to locate a site(s) to replace the ‘short course’ located off of highway 32. The city has identified a potential site adjacent to Hooker Oak Recreation Area in Bidwell Park. This site was approved for disc golf use by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission after looking at nearly a dozen site options. No environmental review has been completed, and no approval has been received from state agencies that have claim to this property. It is not possible to build on the selected site at this time. Until environmental review is completed the site cannot be used for disc golf. Since the site is adjacent to the Sherwood Forest disc golf course built by the Outsiders and operated by CARD we have proposed the two sites be linked. The Sherwood Forest expansion project allows the City to meet its committment to relocate the beginner disc golf course. In June of 2011 we submitted the propoasl below to CARD and the City General Services / Park Department. Sherwood Forest Expansion Project
Peregrine Point Disc Golf Course :
On February 12th, 2011 Peregrine Point disc golf course in Bidwell Park opened up. The Outsiders organized over 2000 hours of volunteer labor and donated more than $50,000 in time and materials to the project. The project was built in 8 months and included the installation of 24 targets in local parks. Peregrine Point is an 18 hole course on 10 acres of land that was purchased by the city of Chico in 1994. Materials for the site were purchased using Proposition 40 funds, a state grant for park improvements. We'd like to thank the 150 people that volunteered time to the project, as well as our course and hole sponsors, CARD and the city of Chico. The following groups/people made this course available to the public. Project Sponsors - $2000 or more City of Chico Ben Irons Outside Recreation Advocacy, Inc. Hole Sponsors - $500 Hole #1 - Lotus Landscaping - Preston Smith Hole #2 - Sports LTD - Matt Smith Hole #3 - Ben Irons Hole #4 - Culp and Tanner, Inc. - Rory Rottschalk Hole #5 - The Sherwood Forest Lionhearts Hole #6 - Adam DesJardins and Joe Gran Hole #7 - The Brobst Family Hole #8 - Whispering Pines Pet Clinic Hole #9 - Law Office of Anthony Cardoza Hole #10 - Madison Bear Garden / Mom's Restaurant Hole #11 - Culligan Water / Jacobs, Anderson, Potter & Chaplin, LLP Attorney's at Law Hole #12 - "The 3 Fast Old Guys" - Pete Hollingsworth, Dave Hollingsworth, Chris Bowen Hole #13 - Troy Franzen Hole #14 - Tom's Hole - "Dedicated to disc golf loving Tom's all around town" Hole #15 - Bella's Sports Pub - Joshua Snyder Hole #16 - Chico Police Officers' Association Hole #17 - Klean Kanteen Hole #18 - The Cathers Family
Highway 32 Disc Golf Course Construction :
After more than a decade of studies and controversy, the Outsiders began building a disc golf course in Bidwell Park on September 1st 2010. The course sits on a cliff-top perch overlooking Bidwell Park and the city of Chico. Stunning views, lava rock, and sparse oak woodlands describe the site. The 18 hole course is designed for advanced players and has a variety of challenging holes. It was redesigned several years ago to move play away from vernal swales and some sensitive plants. In 2010 the Outsiders signed an operating agreement with the city of Chico to maintain the site. The agreement governs many aspects of how the site may be used and when tournaments may occur. Included in the agreement are a requirement that annual studies be completed to assess the impact of disc golf on the plants and trees at the site. These monitoring studies will be used to adaptively manage the impacts at the site from disc golf
Local Target Installation :
City and recreation officials approved the installation of 18 disc golf targets in local parks in April 2010. The targets were to be distributed between six parks. Four neighborhood parks were selected to allow people to ride bikes and practice disc golf play adjacent to their neighborhoods. Two community parks were selected as destination locations (areas with additional parking and restrooms). Later, 6 more disc golf targets were added to the community park locations bringing the total to 24 targets in local parks. Parks included Wildwood, Community, Baroni, Hancock, Peterson, and Knob Hill. In July the Chico Outsiders organized volunteers and installed the target bases followed by the targets themselves. The total effort included about 25 volunteers and their children, and took roughly 200 hours. The targets were funded by California Propisition 40 money, and did not come from city General or Park funds.
Sherwood Forest Disc Golf Course Work Day:
The Outsiders would like to thank the 68 volunteers who showed up on February 20th at the Sherwood Forest kids' disc golf course workday. Workers installed a native plant garden, 9 concrete tee pads, a set of steps, and 6 giant arrows placed as obstacles to chellenge players. Volunteers also applied 10 yards of mulch to areas of the site, installed new banners on the disc golf targets, removed buried barbed wire and a mattress spring, and lined areas with rocks to prevent erosion. The material costs of the project were paid for by CARD, and were less than $1,500. The volunteer effort and project definition were completed by the Outsiders. Close to 300 hours of volunteer labor was applied to this project, and helped prepare the popular disc golf course for continued use. Volunteers earned vouchers worth a free day at a Disney park.
Highway 32 Trail Improvements :
We've put a couple of hundred hours of volunteer labor into repairing a site on the highway 32 long course that suffered from erosion. Hole-18 had steps installed and an eroded area reseeded. In a separate project, hole-2 had a tee pad taken out of use and a trail diverted away from a steep downhill path that was eroding from water flow and bike use.
Target Replacement and Refurbishment :
While waiting to move forward on the highway 32 disc golf course construction we replaced the tone pole targets on the long course. The new targets are a vibrant sky blue in color. They replaced the "alien eyes" targets that had been on site for more than a decade, and were falling apart.
Valley Project :
Working with a private property owner the Outsiders held two access days for a proposed 400 acre park east of Chico. On the first day attendees hiked, played safari disc golf, and rode mountain bikes though the area. The main purpose of the access day was to provide feedback on possible trail types and locations for the area. The second day was set aside for equestrian access, and about a dozen horse riders showed up for a couple of hours of riding. Information from recreation stakeholders is being compiled for the property owner. When completed it will be provided to the property owner and CARD for consideration during their planning process.
Sherwood Forest :
The Sherwood Forest kids' disc golf course opened on March 1st, 2008. This 9 hole course is designed to be challenging to kids and beginners. The Outsiders raised roughly $6,700 and organized 40 volunteers to put the course together. The Chico Area Parks and Recreation District (CARD) purchased all of the disc golf basket targets and paid for environmental studies. In total the course cost close to $18,000. Half of that cost was for environmental studies and a third of the cost was paid for by private donations. Thanks go out to the wonderful hole sponsors and project sponsors below. Also, this project could not have been completed without the support of CARD and the Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation. More information including directions and a course map can be found by selecting the "disc golf" button above.
Robin's Merry Men and Women These organizations, companies, and people made this project happen through monetary donations.
Project Sponsors Chico Area Parks and Recreation District Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation Rotary Club Of Chico - Special Grant The Outsiders Paper Fokkers Noon Rotary Team Eagle Scout Dusty Carr - BSA Disc Sponsors Sports LTD Chico Police Officers' Association Hole Sponsors Jim Mellem Anthony Watts The Giezentanner Family The Hoover Family Megan Thomas Petty, Esq. Sports LTD Chico Police Officers' Association Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation Conroy Construction Inc Doug and Frank