In the summer of 2005 an 18-hole disc golf course was opened at the Winstrom Park in Park Township, near Holland Michigan. In 2008 Park Township officials undertook some changes in the course due to concerns expressed by residents.
Township officials said the problems developed after the county drain commissioner took out brush near the boundary of the park, reducing the buffer between the park and nearby condominiums. Neighbors soon started complaining of noise, profanity and drinking taking place on the course. In response, Township officials realigned two (2) holes that bordered the condominiums, prohibited drinking and smoking on the course, posted course hours of 7AM to dusk and arranged for the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office to patrol to course on foot to enforce the rules. The township also asked that disc golf league play be discontinued to reduce large groups that cause backups.
Rob Zaagman, a resident of the nearby condominiums called the action a “Band-Aid approach” “They are not resolving any issues,” he said. Zaagman also said that condo residents are worried about the health of the forest in which the course is located.
In a letter to “The Holland Sentinel”, posted May 23, 2008, Gayle Toben, a Park Township resident, expressed concerns about the environmental impacts of disc golf at Winstrom Reserve.
Michael Brierty’s letter to the editor Thursday eloquently states the case for a township-sponsored disc golf course as a source of family recreation. I couldn’t agree more, with one notable exception.
The location of the disc course within the Winstrom Preserve is actually doing substantial harm to the woods, and it’s sustainability is in serious question. This is a fact, reached after an evaluation by a representative of the Ottawa Conservation District’s Forestry Assistance Program within the past four months. Unfortunately, Park Township never availed itself of such resources when it planned this course, and now it is faced with the sad reality of difficult choices — destroy the forest so that it can maintain a recreational area, or relocate the disc golf course elsewhere.
Those of us who wish to “preserve the preserve” are not opposed to disc golf or any other recreational activity. Rather, we encouraging the township to relocate this course to an area where it can be used to maximum enjoyment, without destruction to the area. The township has finally admitted that the disc course overuse is damaging the forest and has taken some steps to limit league play. One has only to walk through the preserve, and along the “fairways” to see first-hand the lack of underbrush and the bent and damaged saplings.
The fairways cleared by the township are ever-widening and there is no longer any wildlife present. The leaf canopy is diminishing. Without decisive action soon, there will be no hope of recovering this forest.
In Sept. 2008, Rob Zaagman wrote a letter to “The Holland Sentinel”
In a recent Sentinel article it was reported that Park Township parks commissioners Barb Burmeister and John Van Iwaarden were going to recommend closing the disc golf course in Winstrom Forest for the winter. They say this is to be done to protect the sensitive environment. After two seasons, users of the disc golf course have reduced much of Winstrom Forest to an ecological disaster zone. The vegetated forest floor is gone and in many areas erosion is prevalent.
Saplings and bushes have been deliberately destroyed by users to widen the course. The bark damage to mature trees from errant Frisbees is horrendous. Since Barb and John have been aware of the damage for a considerable period of time, isn’t it a little late to be concerned about protecting the sensitive environment? Shouldn’t forest restoration be their real concern?
We have very few locations that are this lovely, accessible and unique for walkers, cyclists and runners in that area. We should preserve these woods, and relocate the disc course. The township’s inaction on this matter is a clear indication that the “park” in Park Township will soon be inaccurate.
More on Winsrom Park: