Windlestrae Park is a 176 acre public park in Montgomery Township, north of Philadelphia, PA. Some describe Montgomery Township as being overdeveloped, with too much traffic and not enough open space. Much of Windlestrae Park is already developed with soccer and baseball fields, tennis courts, community gardens plus hiking and nature trails, but it also has an interior forest and a creek that provide wildlife habitat.
Dozens of trees 1 to 8 inches in diameter were cut in Windlestrae Park natural areas.
In 2007, without any public notice, without any review by the Township Planning Committee, the Shade Tree Committee or the Environmental Advisory Committee, an 18-hole, tournament length, disc golf course was installed within the interior forest and along the steep slopes of the creek, at a cost of $20,000(+) to the taxpayers. The course opened in October, 2007.
In December, 2007, the Township Board of Supervisors, in response to concerns about the environmental impacts of the course, reduced the disc golf course to 9-holes; holes away from the environmentally sensitive areas and the slopes of the creek. They also prohibited tournament play.
Throughout 2008 there have been efforts by disc golf advocates to “restore” the course to 18-holes, but the Township Board of Supervisors have not approved any action.
Additional Information on Windlestrae Park: