City Council Gives Green Light To Disc Golf Course, But No Funding

It appears the dollars are falling into place for construction of a disc golf course at Glenwood Lake Park.

Vanessa Covington, a member of the Glenwood Park  Board and Glenwood Area Disc Golf Club, said the course could be constructed and open to the public as early as this summer.

The Glenwood City Council approved construction of a nine-hole course at the park after getting an update on the project last week from Covington.

“Initially, we talked about an 18-hole course, some of that being up back along the running trails,” Covington said. “What we are looking at now is a nine-hole course up on the cross country course, but we may actually put in 18 baskets so each hole would have a long and short basket so you can play it twice and have like an 18-hole course.”

In the future, should a decision be made to expand the course to other areas of the park, nine of the baskets could be moved to holes 10-18.

Covington said bids for construction of the course were received from two companies - Colorado-based Zenith Disc Golf and Omaha based American Disc Golf Design and Installation. At the recommendation of the park board, the council approved the bid of $10,000 for design and construction from American Disc Golf Design and Installation and the purchase of 19 baskets from Nebraska Disc Golf Co. for $9,975. The Zenith Disc Golf bid for design, construction and baskets came in at around $23,000.

In addition to the lower price, Covington said it would be beneficial to purchase  and work with a company close by in Omaha should there be a problem with equipment or need for assistance.

Council members were told $17,000 of the needed funds are already in place with $10,000 coming from a memorial fund established in honor of former mayor Ron Kohn and a $7,000 contribution from the county. The county’s contribution will come from Local Option Sales Tax funds specifically designated for community betterment and recreation.

“I didn’t think we’d be at this point, but thanks to the Ron Kohn Memorial, we’re almost ready to make it happen so we’re pretty excited,” Covington said.

The course will not compromise or impact the cross country route at the park. Covington said she has walked the proposed course with Glenwood cross country coach and former park employee Todd Peverill and he is supportive of the endeavor.

It was the desire of the park board to use existing funds in its budget to cover the remaining dollars (approximately $3,000) needed for course construction, however that plan received resistance from council member Laurie Smithers, who said she would rather see the $3,000 spent on improvements to the city’s baseball and softball fields.

“What I’m struggling with is we have baseball and softball fields that we say we don’t have any money to take care of,” she said. and “I don’t mean this to be derogatory, but I just don’t know how to put it right now - the bright and shiny object over here and we just keep moving away from the same thing that’s still there. I’m struggling with that.”

Smithers said she is “100 percent in favor” of the disc golf course but believes city money could be put to better use in other places.

As a result of Smithers’ objection, the council’s motion to approve the course includes a stipulation that the final $3,000 come from fundraising and donations. A fundraiser for the course is going to be held in May and there will be sponsorship opportunities for individual holes on the course, Covington said.

Glenwood Park Board President Randy Romens, who was in attendance at the meeting, said he would personally see to it that the remaining dollars needed are raised to make the project come to fruitition.

“The city will be paying nothing towards this,” he said. “It’s going to be the Ron Kohn Memorial, the county and the fundraising. It will be paid for 100 percent.”