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11/21/2017 11:30 AMWith a location selected and a plan drawn up, the proposal to bring a disc golf course to Peddlers Park is slated for a public hearing before the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) on Wednesday, Dec. 20. As the course awaits formal approval, the project has been the subject of some debate among residents on social media.
Disc golf is a game that combines Frisbee and golf. A golfer is given a disc and has a certain number of throws to reach the “hole,” which is a stand with a chain basket sitting on top. Parks & Recreation Director Rick Maynard said disc golf is “growing like crazy” across the state. Nearly 80 people of all ages and experience levels came out to play in the town tournament in the fall and Maynard said having a regular course can draw in even more enthusiasts.
Peddlers Park offers 30 acres of land with only a few trails. Maynard said the property is perfect for the 18-hole course.
Designers have already been out in the park multiple times and Maynard said other volunteers are getting ready to help out with other aspects of the park. He said two eagle scout candidates are planning to build tee boxes (the spot from which a player throws the Frisbee) and that they may also construct an entrance kiosk and course benches. In addition to physical labor, Maynard said people are lining up to help with the financial aspects of establishing a course.
The Inland Wetlands Committee approved the course plan on Nov. 8 and while the course is not on Guilford Land Conservation Trust (GLCT) property, Maynard said he and members of the Parks & Rec Commission met with members of the trust to review any concerns and ultimately moved a few baskets in response to the concerns over proximity to certain parts of the trail.
The proposed disc golf course sparked a lively discussion on the Facebook group page Simply Guilford last week with some residents arguing against the value of such a course and expressing concerns that the area might be clear-cut while others argued that it’s a cheap and environmentally friendly asset.
“People I think are misunderstanding what a disc golf course is,” said Maynard. “I think some people think it is like a regular golf course where you are clear-cutting the woods and that is really not correct. A large majority of the trees are still going to be there and actually we are not taking any trees down that are bigger than an eight-inch diameter. Part of the attraction of disc golf is the trees become some of the obstacles.”
Maynard said the only place some trees might be cleared is in the parking area to make space for more cars. Maynard said the land itself is managed by the Parks & Rec Commission and the commission has been trying to figure out what to do with the property for years.
“Historically there was a park there I would say about 30 years ago and there was a picnic area and a pick-up softball field and the girl scouts used to camp there and it got let go over the years,” he said. “We thought this was a really good marriage with the trails. One thought had been putting a soccer field in there and that would have been clear-cutting over two acres of woods…we thought this was a good use of it and has probably the least disruption of any other recreational amenity you might want to put in there.”
Maynard said a local resident who plays disc golf designed the course and Maynard said he is attuned to making sure the environmental impact stays at a minimum.
Additionally, Maynard said the course comes at no cost to the town. Maynard said he is estimating the course will cost about $15,000, which will be supported by donors and sponsors, and said there are very few other recreational amenities that can be built for that little money.
“I can think of no other recreational amenity that is this inexpensive,” he said. “I can’t get a swing set, a play scape, and slide for anything close to this amount, so it’s very inexpensive, mostly because it is done by volunteers…It may cost something, but it won’t come out of the budget. It’s going to come through fundraising or sponsors. There will be no town tax dollars.”