Tones Torn Down by City of Medford: Bear Creek Park

[Another Primate]

Per John Hendricks, the city of Medford has torn down the Bear Creek course. He went out to golf yesterday, only to find a sign in place of the hole one tone stating that the City of Medford had removed scrap materials due to unauthorized disc golf use. He said two and three were gone, and assumes all are gone; he didn't walk farther.

Will post more as I learn more.

Mods, would you please create a new area in So Or courses (call this one Bear Creek), and move this post?

I phoned a friend who's involved with Parks & Rec; she said that at a recent city meeting, some official had mentioned an email they'd gotten complaining about the condition of the course, which brought up a discussion "what course" at that city meeting, but that fortunately it was swept under the table. Well, maybe it didn't stay swept. She was surprised to hear that they'd destroyed our course and will do some investigation.

My hopes are that this will put a bit of fire under their progress on Chrissey Park. They promised us a better place when they pulled Holmes three years ago.

If the reason they pulled this was (as I suspect) a conflict with the parents who park illegally on the grass behind the Little League fields, perhaps they'd let us reinstall the course starting with hole three.

[Adam Schneider]

We can't create a separate forum for a course that may or may not ever offically exist. For now, I've moved this to "New Courses."

[Scott]

Was the installation of the course ever officially cleared with the city?

[JBizzle]

So........I heard the news and phoned the parks and rec to find out what the deal was with this. Brian Sjothun called me back and had some pretty surprising comments. Basically what he had to say was that that area is officially a restoration site and some disc golfers had pulled up some of the recently planted plants.
He basically went into denial mode about the BC course saying we had illegally installed the course, and that he nor the committee had any idea the course existed or had ever existed. hmmm interesting.
He then told me that chrissy park is still happening. hmmm even more interesting. Im starting to think this guy doesnt even work for the P&R.
He then he then told me how disc golfers might have more luck getting a course built if we werent such bad people. And that we should just start looking for a place outside of medford. Even adding "Theres a course over in grants pass, why cant you guys just play there"...grrrrrrrr
So i would steer clear of Bear Creek. I urge you all to write or call the Medford parks and rec speak to Brian (politely of course) and express your frustration about having no place to go. I have also written a letter to the mail tribune expressing my frustration about the P&R's promise to relocate after closing Holmes.

[Matt B.]

Originally Posted by JBizzle

So........I heard the news and phoned the parks and rec to find out what the deal was with this. Brian Sjothun called me back and had some pretty surprising comments. Basically what he had to say was that that area is officially a restoration site and some disc golfers had pulled up some of the recently planted plants.
He basically went into denial mode about the BC course saying we had illegally installed the course, and that he nor the committee had any idea the course existed or had ever existed. hmmm interesting.
He then told me that chrissy park is still happening. hmmm even more interesting. Im starting to think this guy doesnt even work for the P&R.
He then he then told me how disc golfers might have more luck getting a course built if we werent such bad people. And that we should just start looking for a place outside of medford. Even adding "Theres a course over in grants pass, why cant you guys just play there"...grrrrrrrr
So i would steer clear of Bear Creek. I urge you all to write or call the Medford parks and rec speak to Brian (politely of course) and express your frustration about having no place to go. I have also written a letter to the mail tribune expressing my frustration about the P&R's promise to relocate after closing Holmes.

So, was the course installed legally and with permission, or not? Is the area a restoration site, or not?

[Bruce]

I've heard it spoken of as a 'pirate course' more than once. Which leads me to believe something wasn't legit about it. That's just my interpretation however.

[Another Primate]

I've learned more, JB:

About a month ago, some parks folks were touring the grounds, and noticed alcohol consumption. Then, very recently, an organization called RVCOG was out there doing restoration work, and reported that some disc golfers were pretty rude to them, and that later they found that the things they'd planted had been torn up. They assume the destruction was done by golfers.
Apparently RVCOG talked to the city who talked to the lawyers who advised that the course be pulled (liability reasons).

It is true that parks and rec never gave permission for us to put the tones in; we all know that they were willing to pretend the course did not exist. They're not willing to do that anymore. (I understand and agree that folks seem to be forgetting that they'd initially promised us Bear Creek at one point, before they pulled Holmes, though; they later clearly UNpromised it.)

And what he said about Chrissy is true. Despite the harm this recent incident has done to the way the city perceives us, they haven't gone back on that promise. The erosion report will be complete in June. We do have people on our side.

So. Who is going to go recover the "scrap materials"?

Last, good news about the baskets. They have been found, and they will give them back to us. Of course, they want reassurance that we won't reinstall them in an unauthorized location. I've mentioned that we could use them in Gold Hill, if we get granted permission to put in baskets there... what do you think about that idea?

And, Adam -- thanks! That move makes sense. I guess Good night, all.

[JBizzle]

The course was initially installed with some help clearing brush with the citys permission, then down the road they said we could not have the course without a paved parking lot. However, they said we could continue to use the area until something else came up with the land (barring any major issues we caused). So for 2 years weve played it. Was it totally legal..nah, but the city was allowing us use it anyhow. Thats the short on the whole deal

[Another Primate]

Oh, JB, I didn't know that early part! I'm sorry for giving out bad info on that. My involvement with the Santos Center meetings had started with the "not without a parking lot" part, and I suppose, hmm, that you guys had just gone in without permission from the get-go.