Grand Opening - Blue Lake Park

[all2common]

Lost a glow wraith (chick flick stamp) and a glow sidewinder out there yesterday. Hole 15 I think. Name and number on both. Shot a 67.

[WavyLays]

Course was fun, thanks for all the hard work out there. The layout was a little wonky at spots and no numbers on the baskets, I just like a little piece of mind when I am throwing and can see 2 different baskets.

[HuckU]

Sprayed a little and had to do some searching, successful recon each time. Did not score as I hoped but tied best for the group and learned where to place the drives next time. Nice layout and not too extreme distance-wise, as it has been said placement is king. Thanks all for the efforts to get this park in, now lets start working on Vancouver/Camas area .

[Flash]

Do they allow alcohol in the park?
I heard from a reputable source with friends who live in the community surrounding Blue Lake that residents are already talking about the alcohol use on the course.

Do they provide trash cans on the course or is it pack it in pack it out?

[Scott]

No alcohol is allowed on the course.
I talked to two park employees on Sunday who were out picking up beer bottles (and other trash). They told me that garbage can are on the way, but they didn't know when.

[Arthur Chomparelli]

Don’t mess this up!

If there’s no alcohol allowed RESPECT the rules! And for F-sakes if you are going to break the rules, leave no trace and be discreet! Leaving beer bottles on ANY disc golf course is UNACCEPTABLE! PACK IT IN PACK IT OUT!

I helped Ty Baker and PhilStomp remove the baskets at Columbia View and it was a sad thing to see those baskets cut down.

This is a course that will bring bigger and better tournaments (and more courses) to the area. The people who made this happen deserve better than D-Bags f-ing up what they worked so hard to make happen.

Nuff said!

[Bullseye]

Originally Posted by Arthur Chomparelli

Don’t mess this up!

If there’s no alcohol allowed RESPECT the rules! And for F-sakes if you are going to break the rules, leave no trace and be discreet! Leaving beer bottles on ANY disc golf course is UNACCEPTABLE! PACK IT IN PACK IT OUT!

I helped Ty Baker and PhilStomp remove the baskets at Columbia View and it was a sad thing to see those baskets cut down.

This is a course that will bring bigger and better tournaments (and more courses) to the area. The people who made this happen deserve better than D-Bags f-ing up what they worked so hard to make happen.

Nuff said!

Thank you Chompy. Its a shame that we need to come here to repeatedly try to teach some common sense to people, but it looks like we might need to do just that.

We have an opportunity to show these people that we can be a great addition to the neighborhood. If we want to see this awesome course stay in the ground, we need to follow the rules. We need to be especially considerate of the homeowners in the neighborhood because their impressions of us are very important. We are guests at Blue Lake and we need to conduct ourselves as such.

The people who didn't take the homeowners at Columbia Park seriously have paid the price for that mistake. I hope the disc golf community does a better job at Blue Lake or we'll have the same result.

[NWDiscer]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

Thank you Chompy. Its a shame that we need to come here to repeatedly try to teach some common sense to people, but it looks like we might need to do just that.

We have an opportunity to show these people that we can be a great addition to the neighborhood. If we want to see this awesome course stay in the ground, we need to follow the rules. We need to be especially considerate of the homeowners in the neighborhood because their impressions of us are very important. We are guests at Blue Lake and we need to conduct ourselves as such.

The people who didn't take the homeowners at Columbia Park seriously have paid the price for that mistake. I hope the disc golf community does a better job at Blue Lake or we'll have the same result.

Because no matter how much we "the forum" discers bytch and moan on here about the bottles and cans and trash in gen. it is not being left by us.....maybe if Metro places a sign on the kiosk with the cost of the fines for violating the rules.
NONE of these frikken idiots will pay attention maybe just have the Sheriff show up a few times over the rest of summer on the weekends and pad the coffers with the idiots that refuse to obey the rules.

[Jason Philips]

The problem is likely players not reading here. Signs are not likely to be read in opinion. When you go to Pier a good example is the number of people who played the original 3 & 4 while the winter layout was being used. Even with signs and such they still were determined to play the holes.

I honestly don't have a good answer on how to educate the idiots. Most will not value a course enough until it is gone.

[Jason Philips]

Originally Posted by NWDiscer

NONE of these frikken idiots will pay attention maybe just have the Sheriff show up a few times over the rest of summer on the weekends and pad the coffers with the idiots that refuse to obey the rules.

I absolutely agree. I am no fan of police but showing the public that we want to enforce the rules of the park may be a smart political move for the future.

[NWDiscer]

Originally Posted by Jason Philips

I am no fan of police but showing the public that we want to enforce the rules of the park may be a smart political move for the future.

who knows maybe they designate a % to the park/course itself

[Adam Schneider]

I think some visible and expensive enforcement of the rules (alcohol, littering, dogs) is probably the only way anything is going to change. Signs aren't much of a deterrent, but hefty fines can be.

[Matt B.]

It's time to be pro-active for sure. I have professional experience in both public parks management and in managing private land that is open to the public for some activities but not for others, and I've been around disc golf and disc golfers a lot over the last several years. I've been down this road many times before. If you truly feel that this course will be at risk if this inappropriate behavior continues you should absolutely jump on it now.

The place is brand new and now is the time to establish expectations and set the tone and get the word out. Posts to this forum are a good start, but have almost zero effect on the activity at the park. I'd go to the people at the park with decision making ability and acknowledge the problem, remind them of your investment in the course and affirm that responsible disc golfers follow the rules but it'll take a group effort to get the general public to follow the rules.

Signs do get ignored, but without explicit, obvious signage it is hard to take a position that people should have known better. Encourage the Park to either install more signage, or let them know you'd like to fundraise for it. Signs are a start but until park staff, law enforcement, or volunteers are at the course enforcing the rules with some consequences for willfully brekaing them, the behavior will not stop. I would absolutely see what local law enforcement can do, and encourage the Parks staff to do the same.

You guys have done so much work, it would truly be a shame to have another course ruined by the shitbirds who unfortunately plague our sport. Bring the hammer down now.

[PDX_Stu]

I don't always think the Narc method is cool, but to avoid any physical confrontations, you could always snap a picture and put it on the Web and find out who these people are..maybe they will get the message if enough people give them grief about it.

[jdinteg]

I plan to bring a spare set of bags (Trash/Recycle) and pick any trash up I see. I will take it home and deal with it there. Additionally I plan to shame whoever I see breaking the rules, even my closest DG buddies will catch my wrath if they break the rules here. Too many hours, too much blood/sweat/blackberry scars from all of us to let this slide. PLEASE DON'T RUIN THIS!

[Bullseye]

I think it is pretty obvious that the majority of people here understand that we are guests at Blue Lake Park and also the importance our conducting ourselves as such. We all just need to politely spread the word to people who might not get it yet.

With that said, we are ordering a number of additional signs for the course and we will get them installed as soon as they're completed.

Jeff

[jdinteg]

Hagerty,
Agreed, unfortunately one thing I do poorly is stay politely quite. I'm sure you know that already by now.

[fernhillphil]

I was out there again yesterday and threw easily my worst round yet. I was all over the course. 4 rounds here and a round at Pier since this place opened have worn my throwing arm out. So many blackberry scartches....

There are now trashcans/recycling out there. Between 8/9 and between 16/17. Possibly one other place that I am forgetting. I also saw parks employees on golf carts emptying the cans so hopefully their presence will help curb the litter/alcohol problems. Parks workers/rangers helping enforce rules is a fine idea. City police to enforce a park rule? No thanks.

Many of the pads have been removed prepped for new ones. jdinteg, are you saying that the old pads were causing the slippery dust on the tops, not the gravel? I too think the gravel skirt is a good idea to help with traction in the winter, I just figured that it was the source of the dust and that it needed to be larger.

[Flash]

Originally Posted by fernhillphil

I was out there again yesterday and threw easily my worst round yet. I was all over the course. 4 rounds here and a round at Pier since this place opened have worn my throwing arm out. So many blackberry scartches....

There are now trashcans/recycling out there. Between 8/9 and between 16/17. Possibly one other place that I am forgetting. I also saw parks employees on golf carts emptying the cans so hopefully their presence will help curb the litter/alcohol problems. Parks workers/rangers helping enforce rules is a fine idea. City police to enforce a park rule? No thanks.

Many of the pads have been removed prepped for new ones. jdinteg, are you saying that the old pads were causing the slippery dust on the tops, not the gravel? I too think the gravel skirt is a good idea to help with traction in the winter, I just figured that it was the source of the dust and that it needed to be larger.

The concrete was mixed incorrectly and it was crumpling causing the dust. Jeff Hagerty took care of it and parks is re-pouring the pads.

[murray the brit]

Thay where out there today re pouring then and Thay do look nice I just wish people would not scratch there tag in the tee pads there was one who I know the guy and I thought he was better than that I will be haveing words with himwhen I see him next on a good note I did not lose a disc