Soquel, CA park threatened by "flying circular razor blades"

[DSmith]

^ So how much land in this park isn't being used by other activities and/or is suitable for some sort of shared use? I'm not against a course going in. I'm against "shoe horning" in courses where they don't fit. If they can coexist well - great. If they can't coexist well in that park, find a more suitable park. That's all I'm saying.

If my math it right, or at least close, 22 Acres is being used (the developed NE part) and 74 is undeveloped.
Off the top of my head 10-15 acres is about what you need for a white level 9 hole course. After looking at the over head you can easily do a layout with most of the holes 100ft from any nature trails and still have a few 300+ ft holes.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

^ Sounds like you've got enough to coexist quite well. My point is that it shouldn't be a forgone conclusion.
Now comes the hard part: selling decision makers on the idea.

 

[DSmith]

One thing that might help the sell is for the high schoolers to agree to becoming the stewards of the land and doing their best to take care of the property(and actually following through on their promise). Without this you are going to have erosion issues, compacting, tree damage etc. just proving the "NIMBY's" right in their argument against the course.
Its one thing to have a bunch of highschool kids wanting a course but is the school behind it as well? They can always have classes added to the curriculum that gets the kids out in the area where the course is where they can learn about environmental impact and land management.
Just throwing out random ideas.

 

[Halcón]

I assume they would want to put Hole 1 near that oval-shaped parking area just north of the shcool's baseball diamonds. The course could hook down south back toward the school, then loop back up and have Hole 9 end up near the same parking lot. All the while, you could avoid the school, and position the holes so that flight paths would not go near the homes that are just to the west of the school.

This would allow only that small pocket of land to be used, and the northern section would be free of disc golfers. The holes would be short, but if they are laid out right, it could be a fun little course.

What DSmith said is key. Show the community what DG'ers are really all about. Respect the land, keep it clean.


Let's git 'er done. :thmbup:

 

[craftsman]

How do you pronounce "zenbot"?

I could of swore i saw your pic next to the name Erich in the comments section.

 

[nawanda37]

I saw the proposed plans...I'll see if I can track them down to post here.

 

[nawanda37]

The holes (a brief summary and length):
The course begins at the upper parking lot where a rules and etiquette sign will be posted with a course map, notifying both players and walkers where the shared use area of the park will be. Along the "Saddle" trail, and throughout the course are located small signs close to the ground with arrows that will help direct players to the following tee. The perimeter trail and the major trails dissecting the knoll are all to be designated out of bounds.

1 140 feet (O'Neil Ranch*): Located in the south west corner of the knoll on a slight uphill slope, it's a great first tee shot that shoots away from the perimeter trails and it is not too difficult. From hole one basket to hole two tee, we will create a defined path (115 feet) with rope going to the trail to the top of the knoll establishing a single trail.

2 449 feet (41st): Starting on top of the knoll, this hole slopes into the grassy plain and is the longest of the nine holes. We will create another defined path going down from the 3rd tee.

3 250 feet (Low Income Housing, The Development): Slightly aside from the grassy plain, there is out of bounds to the right of the hole to even further discourage players to avoid the perimeter trail.

4 238 feet (Soquel High School): Laying on the side of the knoll at a gradual incline, this putt ends at the top of the knoll. As you crest the knoll you have your first view of the Soquel High School campus behind the pin, before the existing trail which leads you out of bounds.

5 249 feet (Riparian Corridor): At the bottom of the knoll, this hole slopes into the Eastern corner of the park. We will set up an out of bounds behind the hole, marked with rope, to prevent people from throwing towards the trail and the riparian corridor.

6 240 feet (Save Soquel): The hole goes away from the path and we have added out of bounds to ensure discs avoid the perimeter trail. This hole is damp during the winter and will benefit from seasonal closure.

7 280 feet (The Pasture): A slightly rising hole in a large open field shooting away from the trail along the base of the slope on the west side of the field.

8 150 feet (Anna Jean Cummings):is a short uphill hole that starts in a small oak grove and goes through a open field, ending near the base of the knoll. A sign will direct you to hole 9 and a small trail will need to be created through the coyote brush on the north side of the perimeter trail.

9 180 feet (Soquel High Disc Golf Club): Is directly behind the varsity baseball field (right field). To reach the tee pad, you have to walk into an inner meadow past the large coyote bushes.Similar to hole eight in length, it shoots around the curve of the baseball's outfield and ends near the parking lot, completing the loop. Another sign will direct you towards the parking lot.

Average hole length: 242 ft. According to Disc Golf designers, the average hole length of an intermediate/beginner course should be under 250 ft.
*Within the parenthesis ( ) are possible names with historical meaning honoring the preservation of AJC. Later signs could be added telling a history of the park as you play the course.

 

[JHern]

Went to a Parks & Rec meeting about this course proposal on Monday...

Basically this park was saved as open space a long time ago by a community hero, Anna Jean Cummings. It was going to be developed into housing tracts, and getting this land into county parks was a major victory for advocates of open space. The park is already heavily used, such that introducing disc golf into the park feels like an impingement to the long-time park neighbors who walk and decompress there daily. Imagine if somebody came to your well-established disc golf course and said you would need to share the space with archery ranges alongside all your fairways, and you'd have a good idea of how these people feel (even if perfectly safe, you'd lose some peace of mind). Thus there are very good and understandable reasons to oppose installation of this course.

I don't think the opponents needed to employ such hyperbole and attack disc golf in general, just to make their point. White egrets hunt gophers in all our parks, around here they are just regular birds that eat vermin. Getting hit by a disc can hurt like hell and leave a bruise, but that's about it, it isn't a flying circular razorblade and very few players can throw over 40 MPH (and those usually have more aiming skill). The dogs running off leash in this park do much more damage to bird habitat/nesting sites than disc golfers would, the environmental objections to disc golf have been way over-stated. The natural habitat in this region was destroyed in the late 1800s with deforestation of the old growth redwood stands.

In any case, I think there is a lesson to be learned in all of this: don't ever try to install a course over the objections of the neighbors. It will never work, and all the negative energy created in the process can harm or distract from other more worthwhile projects.

 

[DG_Before_Breakfast]

Went to a Parks & Rec meeting about this course proposal on Monday...

Basically this park was saved as open space a long time ago by a community hero, Anna Jean Cummings. It was going to be developed into housing tracts, and getting this land into county parks was a major victory for advocates of open space. The park is already heavily used, such that introducing disc golf into the park feels like an impingement to the long-time park neighbors who walk and decompress there daily. Imagine if somebody came to your well-established disc golf course and said you would need to share the space with archery ranges alongside all your fairways, and you'd have a good idea of how these people feel (even if perfectly safe, you'd lose some peace of mind). Thus there are very good and understandable reasons to oppose installation of this course.

I don't think the opponents needed to employ such hyperbole and attack disc golf in general, just to make their point. White egrets hunt gophers in all our parks, around here they are just regular birds that eat vermin. Getting hit by a disc can hurt like hell and leave a bruise, but that's about it, it isn't a flying circular razorblade and very few players can throw over 40 MPH (and those usually have more aiming skill). The dogs running off leash in this park do much more damage to bird habitat/nesting sites than disc golfers would, the environmental objections to disc golf have been way over-stated. The natural habitat in this region was destroyed in the late 1800s with deforestation of the old growth redwood stands.

In any case, I think there is a lesson to be learned in all of this: don't ever try to install a course over the objections of the neighbors. It will never work, and all the negative energy created in the process can harm or distract from other more worthwhile projects.

I was there too, but only heard the Public Comments regarding Pinto Lake, because this group also decided to cast their net out to Pinto Lake DGC, which has been a boon to the community and is a perfect fit at that park.

Inside sources say:

1) AJC park will not get a course, but there is another candidate park that really needs the activity.

2) Pinto Lake DGC is staying put - lots of support for this course from neighbors, DGers and politicians alike.

 

[doctor professor]

"Flying circular razor blades" :doh::doh::doh: holy stupid comment. Some people should have their lips sewn shut.

 

[pauldst]

Seeing the baseball fields in parks where people are objecting to a DGC made me wonder about how dangerous baseball is....

I would guess that it is a bit more deadly than disc golf:

You're Out: The national pastime's shocking death toll

They chronicled 850 baseball deaths in Death at the Ballpark, spanning professional, amateur, Little League, and even backyard pickup games. And though the book purports to be comprehensive, readers have already tipped them off to about 50 incidents they missed.