By Mike Lednovich
The City’s Parks and Recreation Department, along with representatives of a disc golf organization, will tour the pristine acreage adjacent to Simmons Road Park Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. to assess the impact of installing a disc golf course on the property.
“Overview Of Disc Golf And Potential Impacts To The Property” was the only information provided on the city’s website as an agenda item for a special meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC).
The disc golf proposal will then be discussed at the regular 5 p.m. Tuesday meeting of PRAC. No other information was provided.
Parks and Recreation Director Katherine Vorrasi did not respond to Fernandina Observer emails asking if Parks and Recreation had invited an environmental impact expert, local conservation organizations, or land management experts to provide trained environmental assessments during the tour. The tract of five parcels is 24 acres of totally natural forest and wildlife habitat owned by the city’s municipal golf course.
At the May 10 PRAC meeting, officials of 8 Flags Disc Golf Association and NSB Disc Golf Club Inc., were seeking a public/private partnership with the city to build and run the disc course.
Tom Goad, president of 8FDGA, said the disc course would require an acre per hole. He said the current park trail and areas would be unaffected by the disc golf course.
Goad’s group would pay the $9,000 required for the 18 disc catch baskets. He asked if the city would pay for the concrete or paver tee boxes. 8FDGA would be responsible for maintenance of the disc golf course, Goad said.
Disc golf is similar to golf, but instead of hitting a ball into a hole, players throw a Frisbee into a basket or target. The objective of the game is to complete each hole in as few throws as possible. The course is typically laid out in a park or other outdoor setting. Each hole consists of a tee area and a basket that is used to catch the disc.
First let me say that I think this is a crazy idea/proposal. Question 1: Where are all these participants going to park their cars … will there be a new parking lot somewhere? Question 2: If they will be using the existing Simmons Road Park parking lot it will have an effect on that park. Hordes of people going back and forth through this quiet little park to get to their activity and an access point will have to be created on the trail as well. All in all not a good idea ….
Is the City obliged to even consider such an idea?
How much more counter-idealogically could an idea be for Amelia Island – this fragile barrier space?
Is there demonstrated need for the overall public good to destroy habitat?
Are current courses overcrowed or in disrepair?
A quick scan of disc golf options in our area shows 5 courses in our vicinity:- 2 of them on the Island
1) Pirate Park – beach course – FB
2) Pirate Pointe – FB – on school grounds so not available 7am – 4 pm when school is in session – so about half the time
3) Nassau County – a few minutes over the bridge
4) Deerfield Lakes – Callahan
5) Gum Branch Park – Kingsland
Have to suggest some investigation is in order long before a plan to put a disc course in that forest
Thank you Parks & Rec Advisory Board for unanimously voting down this idea. Thanks as well to the approximately 70 people who showed up for the park tour.