By ZEINAB NAJM
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR — Taylor will soon have a disc course golf at Boardman Park after the City Council approved the bid for installation during a Sept. 21 meeting.
The vote was 5-2 in favor with Council members Angela Croft, Charley Johnson, Caroline Patts, Angie Winton and Dan Bzura in favor and Chairman Tim Woolley and Councilman Butch Ramik opposing.
Cost of the bid from KAB Enterprises, Inc. was for $48,643 plus a 10 percent contingency for a total amount not to exceed $53,507 funded through Building & Grounds capital outlay.
Parks and Recreation Foreman Guido Ulin said the course should be ready by the spring but that the cement and bases could be installed before snowfall.
Johnson asked about the money being spent on picnic tables or play area upgrades for the park which Ulin responded by saying he feels there is enough money to accomplish both, including trash cans and swing sets as well.
“Not everybody plays basketball, baseball, soccer and this is truly one of those sports that’s catching on, and all ages can do it,” he said. “It’s like golf. Everybody can do it, some are just better than others.”
Woolley lives in the area of the park and said he got out and walked around there so his concerns was for the residents who live on the north fence line.
He said that of those residents, about three-quarters have dogs and it’s 15 to 20 yards from the path to the fence. Woolley’s other concern was the tightness of the area at Boardman Park questioning whether it was the right place for the disc course golf.
Ulin said he did try the sport and it’s really about arm strength. He also said there is different weighted discs and it would be hard to hit the houses, siting that anything could still happen in terms of wind change or the disc slipping from someone’s hand.
The course is set to be a smaller nine hole course that he physically walked before bringing the bid to city council.
“This has been in the works for eight to nine months and even a year with research and getting everything together,” he said. “It is a unique opportunity to provide something different.”
Ulin also said that there is a willingness to work with residents to lay out the course, and said that Boardman park was selected because of the neighborhood presence which he called “perfect.” He said that it was a great starter park, laid out well, doesn’t have a walking path and is not an overwhelmed area.
Bzura and Winton asked that similar items are reviewed by city’s recreation commission so comments or suggestions can be made going forward.
Ulin apologized and said he will do better in the future with bringing items before the commission.
One other concern Bzura mentioned was the retention pond at Boardman Park, but Ulin said most of the course is designed on higher grounds to avoid the known wet areas.
A resident living across from the park spoke at the meeting saying he was concerned about people’s safety walking on the path going through that park if Frisbees are going to be thrown in that area.
He didn’t think there was enough room and that Boardman Park is not the right one for the course.
Although the course is going to be built for disc golf, Ulin said he is aware some people, especially beginners, will use Frisbees recreationally in the area.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)