Disc golf at Ferry Road Park continues for the time being with a final decision pending approval of a new parks master plan.
During a working session on Monday, North Bend City Council reached consensus to move forward on the hot button issue, but agreed to wait for the master plan to be finalized to decide whether to stay disc golf at Ferry Road Park.
The working session was the second time in two weeks that the council discussed the issue after the park’s advisory committee was unable to make a decision on whether to make disc golf permanent or to remove it.
Alderman Eric Gleason said the parks committee debated the issue in a manner similar to that of the community, with the two sides deeply divided.
“I looked at it and it was as listless as possible,” said Gleason. “It was an argument back and forth. There are half of the people who want it and half the people who don’t.
In the last few weeks petitions for and against disc golf have been transferred to the town hall, so that the council has left the decision on the matter. Mayor Jessica Engelke said the council had received a lot of feedback.
“We have now gone through a process,” said Engelke. “We had a pilot, we had a lot of discussions, we got feedback from community members interested in expanding the course, we heard from community members who weren’t interested in a course, we got public comments received this afternoon. “
Gleason, based on what he heard, said the council has three possible actions. First, keep the nine holes at Ferry Road Park to form an 18-hole park with Windsor Park. Second, remove the holes from the east side of the park. Third, remove disc golf completely from Ferry Road Park.
“We have people who really feel this way or that,” Gleason said. “We have people who are really against it or really for it. It really is a coin toss which is the best answer.”
Gleason said he watched the park while disc golf tried to coexist with baseball, walkers, and others who use it. Most of the time, he said, it seemed positive.
“I’ve seen the park become as versatile as I’ve ever seen it, and I’ve been here all my life,” said Gleason. “I played little league on the ball field. I played in the sandpit, on carousels. I pushed my kids on these carousels. I walked the paths. I sat there one night and I watched people play frisbee golf, it there was a little league tournament, other people were playing soccer in the grass, and people were playing in the park.
“It is whether we want to do it or not. I know we have to get on with it. I hope this week is the week we move on. But it is doable. I think we can make this multifunctional think, “It can be done in a number of ways. I think it’s time to move on and do something more meaningful for the city. “
City councilor Timm Slater was also unsure how the final decision would be.
“We started disc golf here in the 1980s,” said Slater. “Windsor was started because it was a park that was not in use. I think it has a place. I think it has a following. It has already been recognized that it’s a value. I think it’s an asset we for our parks. “
Councilor Susanna Noordhoff, who was the most open council member against disc golf on Ferry Road, said the council could compromise. She said the biggest problem is having 18 holes to host tournaments and it can be done without affecting the entire Ferry Road Park.
“Windsor Park actually has 18 holes,” she said. “Some of the bags are used for two fairways. So I think using Ferry Road Park would be a good compromise, but only on the west side. I don’t think the course requires nine holes. Maybe four for people to practice on. There are enough holes in Windsor for a tournament. “
After listening to the discussion, the mayor said the majority felt they were going forward while waiting for the new master plan, which won’t be implemented in at least two months.