Improving Johnson Park Grand Rapids, MI

[nrohtlaw]

ask for money

I would do what they did in ludington,open up a bank account,go to Brewer in person or with a secure donation box,tell the people your cause asking for a measly dollar.Remind the people of greens fee's at your local ball golf courses,give a receipt,show a bar graph with progress.Most people give Guy a dollar on any given day.Factor in the cost of all the concrete to properly bury the baskets,maybe pads,signs.I can give you names of people who would volunteer labor in a heartbeat.DO NOT ask for any help from the league.You will see the money go into someone elses pocket.Yes,i have alot of friends on the league,but they have not put any effort into getting this course back.I know for a fact that they had a 50-50 responsibility with walker township to maintain Johnson which they have not held.I also know league members who are responsible for stealing some or most of the baskets.I also know of league members who have put up a b.s. reward for any info leading to the recovery of the baskets just to cover their ass's.I dont' mean to be a dick,but DO NOT bring the league into any fund raising,maybe just some dedicated league members like George Barret.

 

[Meulen]

At riverside park this year, they

1. paved the parking lot
2. moved hole 18's tee to right location
3. did the back 9 with concrete tee's to match the first 9
4. brought in the west michigan goose control to try and get the geese to leave (them i saw old people the day later with a pickup bed full of goose food, feeding them all.

and alot more i am forgetting right now, im verry happy at all they've done this year with the park, i hope they fix up the old course next year, unless they want tp fund johnson, but 1 of em has to get fixed

I was just about to mention the newly paved parking lot. I sent a couple email's to the Chair of the Parks and Recreation department and saw slow progress with the parking lot. At first they filled in all of the potholes with stone, which to me was fine because the holes were the main problem. When I came back from school a month later, it was freshly paved! What a surprise. They seemed to be pretty open to the improvements and said they would see what materials they have on hand to fix the problem. Good luck with the project, if I see any fundraising going on, I'll throw in a couple bucks.

 

[Opus]

I am new to the sport this year, but have travelled to a number of different course, including all of the Grand Rapids courses.

By far, the course with the biggest potential is Johnson. It could be almost like another Flip City with the right care and maintenance.

I had been talking with a buddy of mine that has travelled to a lot of the courses in the area with me about doing a fundraiser of sorts or sponsorship of holes and getting Johnson up to date.

I actually even approached Best Buy about potentially sponsoring a hole as I was starting to gather data and see what kind of interest there would be. They were receptive to the idea.

One of the other ideas I had was to have a disc golf festival. Not just a tournament there. Have multiple tournaments using the front and back nine, bake sales, live music if we can get a few bands, possibly contact Innova and Disc Craft about donating some items for raffle, holding side raffles for 50/50 on the tournaments, maybe talk to Spinskis about setting up a booth and donating a portion of his sales from the day. and have a donation bucket up all at once.

Seems like a lot, but with planning, it could be done, and I would be more than willing to help, and I imagine I could recruit at least 3-4 more guy as well.

 

[ovar]

Opus, thanks for showing interest in Johnson park and our effort to improve it. I really like your idea about the festival. Johnson park has more than enough room to host something like that. It would take a good amount of planning.

As for the current state of things:
I am still waiting to hear about the donation site and fund to be set up by the county. Once this is set up I will post flyers around the area at DG courses instructing people how to donate if they wish to.
Founders has said they would be interested in hosting a benefit show sometime in February.

Keep in touch and I will post any progress on this thread so subscribe to it or check back often.

Thanks

 

[mambrose]

Thanks for keeping us infomed ovar, i am intrested intrested to see how this is all going to come togther, lemme know if you need help with anything.

 

[tikirunner3]

I just found this site, but I play Johnson ALL the time. I live close, so I play it at least 3 times a week.

I just measured every hole/obstacle, and my friend and I are planning on making signs this winter. We're going to do something similar to Brewer/Real Golf Courses with the distance, and an overhead drawing of the hole. All the signs will be engraved wood.

I was also planning on making some seating around the course, or improving on the log "benches" that are already there.

As for extra help, my friend and I live close and would love to see this course improved. I would definitely be willing to help out to improve this course.

Just let me know of any ideas, or what I could do to help.

 

[ovar]

tikirunner3,

That is great. I'm glad to hear you are working on making new signage. This is one of the biggest deterrents of Johnson. People who never have played before go out there and don't know what pole they should be throwing at. Keep us updated on the progress.

How did you go about measuring distances?

I am STILL waiting on the county to set the fund up so I can get things moving with donations.

 

[Terry C]

The dude likes his JOHNSON, he dont want it to get cut off by the guys who dont believe in anything.

 

[tikirunner3]

tikirunner3,

That is great. I'm glad to hear you are working on making new signage. This is one of the biggest deterrents of Johnson. People who never have played before go out there and don't know what pole they should be throwing at. Keep us updated on the progress.

How did you go about measuring distances?

I am STILL waiting on the county to set the fund up so I can get things moving with donations.

I used a wheel and got accurate distances from tee pad to pole, and noted where all main obstacles were (trees, doglegs etc.)

Also, does anyone have an accurate par system for the course? I've ran across a lot of different people who all play it differently. I don't think that its a fair course to make all the holes Par 3's. Most of them are, I just can't see #14 as being a 3. #18 would be a difficult 3 as well.

#14 is the only hole I've never got a 2 on....

 

[ovar]

tikirunner3, I have always played every hole there a par 3.

14 is a hard hole to get par on let alone a birdie.

 

[ovar]

Update:

I am still in contact with Kent County parks. I am waiting for "project approval" so that I can give people to go ahead to begin donating online.

Right now I am being told that the this will be presented to the county board at the end of the season "when the snow flies". It's a very loose time estimate but this is the best I can get out of them right now. Hopefully this will be approved in the next couple of weeks.

I'll continue to keep you all posted.

 

[Terry C]

I have to get out to johnson soon and play it again, all this talk of it makes me want to get out there, I used to play it when it was baskets many years ago and I enjoyed it but it was really painful going there and seeing all the trash and vandalizm and more missing baskets everytime we played. I love all the heart and sweat you guys are puting into getting this park back up and to a upper level DGC again. As soon as some kind of fundraiser tourney is set up ill be there to support it. Keep up the good work OVAR. Im still working on a course in the middleville/hastings area thats been in the planning for a year or so now, we have a couple of baskets and a big piece of land to work with, weve played it with portable baskets but were working toward making it a permanent course probly next summer. Thats been my little dgc project, ill let you guys know when its ready for the public. It should be a good small course (maybee 9 to begin with).

 

[mambrose]

i was out there 3 weeks ago, and it was nice, they mowed the entire thing, not just the fairways, you can se through the thick stuff so you dont need a spotter, there wasent really any trash either, its disapointing to have to jsut throw where ever you can find level ground

 

[nrohtlaw]

get a hold of me for labor.I'm back in MI now and know alot of people who would like to see this rolling.Might even donate 6 trashkets from Sharps creek.

 

[ovar]

UPDATE:
I emailed Roger Sabine and Pam Spencer once again trying to get a Fund set up to accept and collect donations through. Not much of an update, just want people to know that this effort has not died, it is just not advancing at the moment. If I get brushed off again I am going to post email contacts for these 2 people. Maybe a flood of emails will help to motivate them.

 

[mambrose]

Thanks for the update, i was just about 2 pm you and ask if you had new information, was thinknig about johnson again today,

btw, any news about what happend at cascade? you know if they are going to replace the basket? i know you play there often

 

[ovar]

I did not get a response from KCPD, so I sent another email which I have included. This is toned down from my original draft. I thought it would be best to remain mostly pleasant. Anyways I am going to include a few emails as well in case anyone on the forum would like to Email Pam and/or Roger to let them know that there is interest behind this cause.

As I understand, Pam is with the foundation that would set up the fund once she gets the OK from Roger just to give you an idea of the relation dynamic here. Again any advise is welcome and appreciated and if anyone does decide to email Pam/Roger please please represent our forum and sport in a professional manner.

Pam Spencer [email protected]
Roger Sabine [email protected]



Pam/Roger,

I have been patiently awaiting a response regarding my request for a fund to be set up so that money can be raised to improve the disc golf course at Johnson Park. Six month after my original request, I have only received updates stating that "This will be looked into when the snow flies" or "This will be worked on in the next couple of weeks". Six months later nothing has happened that I am aware of. I am not asking a lot from your department, only that a fund be set up to channel moneys raised to improve the disc golf park. Please follow through with getting this fund set up. If your department is unwilling/unable to set up this fund please let me know so I can stop wasting my time with the "Kent County Parks Foundation" and look elsewhere for assistance in this matter (a nod in the right direction would be appreciated if it comes down to this)

Sincerely,

Ryan Dirheimer

 

[ovar]

I just got a reply from Pam. The fund is ready and donations can be made at anytime. People can make their online donations at the foundations site here or you can print off a form and mail it in here. Whether donating online or by mail make sure on the donation form in the field "designation" to include "Johnson Park Disc Golf Course" or something to that effect. PM me if you have any question or concerns!

Also, here is the foundations website for more methods of donating if the above methods are not options for you.

 

[valkyrie]

Does anyone know if the disc golf parking lot at Johnson is opened yet? I really want to go play a round there this afternoon. Or, does anyone know the person i would contact to ask if it is open?

 

[valkyrie]

I decided to drive der, and.....well...the gravel was in the way of the pakring lot still and the "Keep out" signs were still up.