 "Photo: Dane Koch")
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If time is money, a good indication the economy is turning around is that folks in Chico can afford to spend so much time complaining about the disc golf course.
I understand the emotions behind the disc golf dilemma. I love the environment, disc golf and not wasting time and money for stupid reasons.
I've been going to the marathon-length City Council meetings hoping they will find a resolution.
This unnecessary emotionally charged fight between an obscure sport and the ecosystem of an ugly tract of land can be resolved with a simple solution. But, the Chico City Council continues catering to these entrenched parties.
The City Council should mandate that disc golfers amend the environmental damages caused by their pseudo-sport. They could have a year to fix the problems using their own resources.
If the course doesn't improve, it will be shut down and no alternative site will be created unless golfers are willing to pay for it and do all the work.
The council needs to stop being afraid of making a decision that will alienate either environmentalists or disc golfers.
They should put this issue to rest and get back to the business of fixing growing unemployment, a budget deficit and a serious possibility of regional water shortages.
This unnecessary showdown started in November 2008 when environmentalists pressured the city council to close the short course next to Highway 32 because disc golfers were damaging the ecosystem.
The disc golfers were irate and fought back with a grass roots petition. The city appeased them by promising to build an alternative course at the expense of taxpayers.
A committee to find a site for the new course decided the best location was in a wooded area next to the Caper Acres playground by One Mile Park. But, this tiny, forested plot is not nearly large enough to support a viable 18-hole alternative to the Highway 32 short course.
The city council approved the site April 21 in a 4-3 vote, despite objections from disc golfers.
Now the city plans to spend money it doesn't have building a course disc golfers don't want.
Because it's such a stupid decision, the council voted to reassess closing the Highway 32 short course at the very same meeting they voted to go forward with the Caper Acres site.
"Get ready for the next round folks," sarcastically remarked councilmember Larry Wahl, who voted against the proposed Caper Acres site.
The bitter three-way tug-of-war match between "athletes" who like to chuck Frisbees at metal poles, hippies who like to look at oak trees and a City Council that wants to get as many votes as possible will continue.
All parties are guilty of dropping more napalm onto this inane but consuming political dispute.
Environmentalists went to war over this plot of land and ended up with the worst part of it. They only succeeded in protecting the short course, which is ugly, barren, boring and doesn't offer much in the way of scenic vistas.
It falls far short of being a worthwhile place to enjoy nature. The long course, which is exceptionally beautiful and offers amazing views of Upper Bidwell Park, will be left to recreational whims of the disc golfers.
The disc golfers aren't happy with their fantastically gorgeous long course. Most communities don't have the luxury of both a short and a long course.
I'm not sure why they are so adamant about protecting the beginner's level short course when Chico already has a kid's disc golf course near Hooker Oak Park.
I applaud the good judgment of council members such as Larry Wahl, Jim Walker and Tom Nickell who seem willing to find a way to make the Highway 32 course work without using city funds.
I hope the council, environmentalist and disc golfers can find peace with each other. But, until they do, I'll be drinking a cold beer while flying my discs across the stunning expanses of the long course, because it's amazing and it's not going anywhere.
Kevin Hagedorn can be reached at
khagedorn@theorion.com
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