Belmont Park at risk of being pulled. HELP!

[cali]

I need help, advice, information, anything I can get to keep my home course from being pulled. It is under serious deliberation by the city and the park district, due to a recent string of vandalism, to have the baskets pulled and the tees mashed and removed. Graffiti, benches being smashed, baskets getting stolen. It seems anything these stupid white trash kids, who live in the surrounding neighborhood, could possible do to have this amazing course pulled, they are doing X10. I know for a fact none of them are golfers. It is located in a part of town that has been hit hard by the recession and the crime rate has spiked these past couple of years. The straw that may break the camels back was drawn recently. They have not been allowing people to park in the regular lot lately due to it being a designated leaf drop this fall/winter. There was tons of notification to this happening including a HUGE orange sign being put up with the dates of the leaf drop and the hours you can park. Someone seemed to not like this idea of having the gate closed after a certain time of day so they rammed it late at night and broke it, then proceeded to graffiti a large portion of the shelter. I have a good idea of who may have done it but no proof. These **** heads who don't even play golf just park their worthless unemployed asses on the benches right by the lot and just get drunk and high from sun up to sun down. They were probably pissed that they have to walk an extra 100 feet to get to their little drunk nest right by hole 1. They are always causing trouble, starting fights, letting their mean ass dogs run free to harass people, etc etc. What really sucks is they can't be trespassed since it is a public park.

This park holds SO much history for the midwest disc golf scene, it was the home of the 1991 Pro World Championship and is the home course of 1989 Pro World Champion, Steve Wisecup. Not to mention home course of some of Ohio's current top Pros. Even Hazy Shade Disc Golf is right down the street and is at serious risk of having to close due to local interest in the sport deteriorating after losing one of our best courses. This course has been here since 1984. It was the first course I ever played and I continue to play it at least 5 times a week. I have so many memories here. Please, whatever you can do to help me keep this course in the ground, do it. If you live around here, keep an eye out for vandals and CALL THE POLICE so that we can finally prove once and for all that these people causing all of the trouble out here are not disc golfers nor have any association with the sport.

We love our course. We need to fight to keep it around. I will work my hands to the bone to make sure it is here for another 26 years and beyond.

 

[lokirising]

You could try a petition.

 

[Thumber]

Has the local DG Club made any presentation to the City regarding its concern over the vandalism etc?

You need to educate the decision makers so they can make informed decisions.

This goes for any club seeing vandalism, etc on public courses. Go to a city council meeting, make a presentation. Present real options and try to enlist the powers that be as allies in good public spaces.

DGers for the most part are excellent park ambassadors and act like a de facto neighborhood watch whilst there.

Talk to OPUs who are regulars, get their support on a petition.

If the City thinks its bad now, just wait to see how bad crime is once no one respectable is in the park.

 

[roadtripstuff]

Wow I can't believe this. This is one of the better courses in Ohio. Not just for the course, but the regulars that hang out there, there's no way they have anything to do with the vandalism. If this course gets pulled it will be a huge blow to the disc golfing scene, please keep us updated and continue to get the word out, I'm sure plenty of folks would be willing to get involved, including myself, to prevent this awesome course from being pulled.

 

[Smigles]

Make the city realise that the golfers have absolutely nothing to do with the vandalism. Make them realise that you actualy prevent vandalism as long as you are there.

Why do they even get the idea to make the connection between a disc golf course and some homeless drunkards ?

 

[chain-addicted]

Get out there with a taser and a can of mace. That'll show 'em you mean business.

 

[billnchristy]

I don't get why you guys aren't calling the cops on these people? Does Ohio not have leash laws, drinking laws, etc??

You HAVE to get two points across:

1) You won't put up with that in YOUR park (you are failing this)
2) That YOU are not the problem to the city (also failing this point)

 

[Triflusal]

^^^I know for a fact that the park mine is at has leash and drinking laws. they don't really stop anybody but you can call the cops still.

 

[Three Putt]

It sounds like the City thinks disc golf is the problem. You have to convince them that you are part of the solution.

 

[tallpaul]

^^^^This. Get on the phone and schedule a meeting with your parks and rec official responsible for the course and relate all that you related in your post. They need to at least be aware of the situation. If you have a strong club with a good leader, have them represented as well.
In regards to the petition; one of our courses was saved due to the sheer numbers of persons that signed a petition. Also lets them know just how many persons who are responsible are involved and love the park/course.

 

[kily]

Do they have everone's attention yet?

If any of the problems are caused by just one golfer, then it will happen. It will take 100% of the regular golfers to prevent this problem from going farther. As in the past, it has at least in part, been an issue with local disc golfers at Belmont--some of the current problems are disc golfers harassing the city workers at the leave drop off. That is partly why the city will do what they feel will solve the problem or at least get the regular disc golfers to help fight the rise in problems. This is not the first time for Belmont and will probably be the last time the city just threatens it.

Try videoing the actual perps in the act and turn the evidence over to the city/police, even if it is a disc golfer you catch on tape.

It is a shame any time a disc golf course is pulled and it takes us all to work hard to prevent such a fate for Belmont.

 

[danhyzer]

I know this isn't what you want to hear. But maybe you might want to consider moving the DGC somewhere else where people will appreciate it more.

Belmont Park is one of the first DGC i played outside of the Canton, Ohio area and I have some great stories/ a lot of fond memories playing it. But if the city isn't doing much to prevent the bad actions of these individuals, then maybe it's time to move on and find a better place for these baskets.

I understand your plight. At one time we had a DGC here in Canton in a park with the same kind of actions and we (the SCDGA) pettioned the park board to move the Waterworks DGC to Spiker Park. So it was a GREAT move.

I'm not from Dayton, but there has been a couple DGC already moved that I know of over the years. As there was a DGC in Beavercreek and I think one in a area called East something, EAST wood, EAST bank. I'm talking pre 1990's. I never played it though I have a t shirt somewhere of the park. But anywho.... After you exhuasted all your resourses and by that if you really care about Belmont park as it seems. After to exhaust all your resourses I would consider moving the DGC to another park in Dayton as sad as that sounds.

One can only do so much, that's why you should get your friends and club members who feel the same way as you do to get on with the fight weather it's good for Belmont Park or at another location.

Good luck and may the course be with you---------------------------- - +

and by all means, please keep us informed.

 

[cali]

Eastwood Metropark is the one you were thinking. Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[Jay Dub]

Belmont has always been a favorite course of mine, they can't pull it....I said so.

 

[Rip Van]

I know this isn't what you want to hear. But maybe you might want to consider moving the DGC somewhere else where people will appreciate it more.

Yes, tell the Parks Department that "We need to talk." They, of course, will agree, planning to use the opportunity to tell you that they're pulling the course. But when you meet, before they have a chance to say anything, you tell them you want to pull the course and put it in someone else's park! They'll be shocked, and will do anything to keep the course in their park!

Well, the concept worked pretty well for George Constanza.

 

[roadtripstuff]

Hey guys, heard anything more on this. This is one of my favorite courses and I'm really interested in any more info that is known.

 

[cali]

Here is a thread on Dayton Disc Golf Associations forum if you want to keep more up to date on the status.
http://millert.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=belmont&action=display&thread=523

I personally have not heard anything lately. I'll talk to Sean or Jeremy this weekend and try to fill you guys in with an update.

 

[cali]

If any of the problems are caused by just one golfer, then it will happen.

Just one golfer can be identified as "HOMER" he is the kid who tags all the benches, trash cans and signs with that name. Apparently he plays sometimes so make sure to chase his dumb ass off if you bump into him out there.

I'm going to take the time to sand all of his garbage off the benches in the springtime.

 

[KNole]

you should stake out at the park and when the vandalizers come go jackie chan on them

 

[Garrett76zt]

Well although I dont feel that Belmont is one of the better/more challenging courses in the area I do love the environment of the place. Always local DGers around for some pickup games, strong leagues, etc. I do know that the locals love the park and would never purposely do anything to have the course removed, however I think its gonna be a tough thing to fight when Belmont disc golfers are probably responsible for the majority of drug and alcohol use in this park. I personally dont mind playing rounds with people consuming, so I'm not trying to get on a high horse here, but I can't help but think that the city/police already know this. Belmont is kind of known for its friendliness towards substance use. It just makes the whole "Disc Golfers are the respectable ones in the park" argument more difficult. Belmont is probably the least "family friendly" course in the area.

Even saying all that I would hate to see the course removed and would gladly jump on board with any efforts to save the course. My best round out there is a 45 and I would like to continue hunting that illusive 10 down round.