DISC GOLF ON BOWEN ISLAND A FUN AND HEALTHY ACTIVITY FOR ALL WHERE WE ARE AT
▪ Looking to secure a location with which to establish a public disc golf course
• Identified suitable location on Municipal property
▪ Requesting that the RCSC make a recommendation to Council to direct the municipal staff to work on this project PROPOSAL TO: ESTABLISH A PUBLIC DISC GOLF COURSE ON BOWEN ISLAND
▪ A fun sport the whole community can enjoy ▪ Low capital and maintenance costs ▪ Many benefits and key points ▪ Healthy activity for all ages ▪ Quality time with family and friends ▪ Attracts visitors to the island helping local businesses year round ▪ Provides opportunity for fundraising for local organizations ▪ Can support education programs such as Phys Ed for local schools ▪ Low impact on the environment and uses underutilized land ▪ Free to play SO WHAT IS DISC GOLF?
▪ Similar to golf but with flying discs instead of club and balls ▪ A typical course has 18 holes, each of which has a par rating and unique challenges ▪ Bring your own discs: play with one or get special discs for long range, medium range and putting ▪ Play off a tee box and aim for the elevated basket ▪ Work your way down the fairway throwing the disc from where it previously landed ▪ Complete with lowest score possible ▪ Play alone or in groups or ANYONE CAN PLAY tournaments ▪ Men, women, boys and girls from small children to senior citizens ▪ Free to play and no tee times to book ▪ Can be played any time of year in just about any weather THE GROWTH OF DISC GOLF
▪ Disc golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the world ▪ The number of courses has more than doubled in the past 8 years ▪ Played in over 40 countries ▪ Over 56,000 people have registered with the PDGA ▪ Approximately 500,000 regular players ▪ Between 8 and 12 million people have played the sport Well established community of DISC GOLF NEAR HERE players in local region is an opportunity to: 45 courses in BC alone Promote Bowen Island as a visitor/tourism destination Many local courses including these Vancouver increase visits to Bowen Island Burnaby and generate economic spinoff Coquitlam Langley Maple Ridge Grouse Mountain Whistler Nanaimo Pender Island Saltspring Island Squamish and more ▪ There are hundreds of disc golf players in the lower mainland – many of whom would travel to play the Bowen disc golf ECONOMIC BENEFITS course ▪ Pender Island disc golf tournament brings around 200 players to the island for a weekend in the summer
▪ Can be leveraged as an added feature of the island to attract tourists and enhance the Bowen “experience” for visitors – all year round ▪ Even local residents can buy discs at local businesses or go for lunch after a game THE ORIGINAL PLAN
▪ Planned to locate near Snug Cove in Metro Vancouver park around the Bowfest Fields
▪ Metro Vancouver was not able to accommodate the request to use these lands for this purpose • passively managed park • precedent
▪ Needed to find a new location… THE NEW PLAN New Site ▪ Identified ideal new location on Municipal property ▪ Approximately 20 acres less a few acres for a public works yard ▪ Enough for 18 holes ▪ Easily accessible via paved road ▪ Varied terrain to create a fun and interesting course ▪ Can create space for parking on side of Athletic Park Way near the end of the road
ENVIRONMENT
▪ Walk through of site with the Municipal Planner and Parks and Environment Manager in August 2015 ▪ Second growth forest with small hemlock, alder and a few larger firs at the north end of the property ▪ Initial observations suggest no significant conflict with environmentally sensitive areas ▪ Remove dead forest debris to reduce fire hazard and to help manage invasive species ▪ Provide access to this natural space for the community THE COURSE
▪ Did a walk through with members of the BCDSS in August 2015. This site is well suited to be a disc golf course ▪ A natural course similar to the Pender Island course. Only hardware is signs and targets. Natural tee boxes. ▪ Play among the trees and down natural corridors to minimize impact Tee boxes - natural WHAT DO WE NEED? Signage - course overview and hole signs Targets (18 - one per hole) ▪ Removable and relocatable Materials to construct tee boxes, trails and parking area ▪ Gravel or other materials WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
▪ Low capital and maintenance costs ▪ An 18 hole course can be built for approximately $15,000 $CAD Disc golf ▪ Funds needed for targets, signage and 10,790 materials targets ▪ Volunteers under Municipal Signage 2,000 supervision can provide much of the labor to set up the course – will Materials 2,000 mature over time ▪ Municipality to provide ongoing maintenance ▪ Municipal insurance to cover this public amenity FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
▪ Local businesses and organizations to sponsor a hole ▪ Cover hard costs for target and signage ▪ Provide input on design of the hole ▪ Help provide volunteer labour ▪ Include name etc on signage
▪ Crowdfunding
▪ Tax receipts from the Municipality to encourage donations of services etc “an affordable entry-level family fun activity that is accessible as an COMMUNITY SUPPORT intergenerational activity ” Sarah Haxby – Community School Coordinator
▪ Bowen Island Disc Golf Club “We think it is a wonderful ▪ 102 members registered idea that would enhance “more recreational Bowen’s outdoor offerings sport/event to the island ▪ Island Pacific School to both locals and tourists would be a great welcome” ▪ Bowen Island Community School alike” Jamie Bronstein – Doc Morgan’s Inn Joan Hayes – The Snug Café Ltd ▪ Doc Morgan’s Inn “we would wholeheartedly ▪ The Snug Café welcome a disc golf course ▪ The Bowen Island Pub “would serve as an additional where we could finesse the attraction to the island” student’s disc skills via a disc Glenn Cormier – Owner, Bowen Island Pub golf program” Ted Spear – Head of School , IPS TO MOVE THIS FORWARD
▪ RCSC to request council to direct Municipal staff to work on this project ▪ Work with the Municipality to do due diligence and secure the site to establish the disc golf course ▪ Design a course layout with help from the BCDSS ▪ Create a detailed budget and construction plan ▪ Fund the project ▪ Order parts, assemble volunteers and get to work! DISC GOLF ON BOWEN ISLAND A GREAT INVESTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY