The challenge of balancing environmental protection and providing the recreational use of a city park is at the center of the current debate over a proposal to construct a “disc golf” course at McLaren Park—the Ingleside park that is the City’s second largest.
The San Francisco Disc Golf Club and the Recreation and Parks Department have plans to privately build and maintain an 18-hole disc golf course that is open to the public. But opposition from some park users and neighbors—including an influential group of dog walkers—has put those plans on indefinite hold. They say the disc gulf course threatens the 60-acre designated “off-leash” area.
Disc golf is a fast-growing fitness sport played like the standard game of golf, but instead of swinging at balls with clubs, players tee off from concrete pads with the surface area of picnic table and throw small Frisbee-like discs into metal baskets that stand on poles.
The controversy surrounding a disc golf course in McLaren Park is not new. In 1997 the San Francisco Disc Golf Club proposed a 27-hole course for the park. After meeting strong community opposition, they withdrew their preliminary proposal.
But in 2005, the SFDGC was given approval by the City’s park commission to construct a course in Golden Gate Park and McLaren Park. The first course in Golden Gate Park, which was to be temporary, was opened in 2007. It was successful enough that it became permanent. On any given Saturday, up to 300 to 400 players come to play.
“We want to be a positive part of the McLaren Park community. This isn’t something we want to jam down people’s throats,” said Jeffery Bowling, former president of the SFDGC. In addition to being in charge of the McLaren Park project, he is also a resident in the area.
Bowling said he believes bringing disc golf is a great opportunity for McLaren Park. Since everything from construction to maintenance is paid for by the SFDGC, there is no cost to the City and it is free for public, including local schools that they plan to reach out to. He believes if the course were built, the community would embrace it.
“It’s a unique partnership,” he said and noted citywide slashes in park programs, “It’s a gift to the City.”
The Disc Golf Association reports there are about 3,000 disc golf courses in the US.
Save McLaren Park is one community group that formed after some park users found out about the disc golf course. They, along with other neighbors, were unhappy with the apparent “done deal” status and lack of adequate notice.
While some neighbors and park users are not categorically against the disc golf course and would like more community input, the position of the SMP, however is firm.
“We don’t have any problem with the game itself but we believe it to be clear that a disc golf course is not compatible with the use of McLaren Park,” Ken McGary, spokesman for SMP, said.
McGary, who is also a nearby resident and dog owner, said the two major reasons for their position are that the disc golf course would be a “radical” change of character for the park and the resulting environmental impact.
The northeast corner of the 317- acre park known as Yosemite Marsh, which was designated a “significant natural resource area” by the City in 1995, is home to native species that include the San Francisco Forktail Damselfly and Flowering Quillwort.
“Golden Gate Park is a different kind of park. It’s more urban centered – there is more activity. McLaren Park is the last undeveloped park land of San Francisco and has the character of being in the country with it’s birds and native plants,” he said.
McGary also said despite the claims of success for the Golden Gate Park course, environmental damage has occurred. He said the discs are like “Frisbees on steroids” that damage trees requiring the installation of tree shields. Natural ground cover and natural wild flowers would be trampled; birds and other wildlife would have no place to go.
He also expressed safety concerns for bystanders who could become victims of discs traveling at “highway speeds”.
Another sensitive topic includes the 60-acre area used as an off-leash area for dogs. The current plan shows just 20 percent of the area that would be shared by dog walkers and disc golfers alike.
McGary counters that the proposed plan is misleading and that additional paths, fairways, and other infrastructure needed would take up a significantly larger amount of the area.
Bowling said he sympathizes and agrees with the neighbors about the lack of notice and planning but added that much of the concern is “misplaced” due to misinformation that’s been spread. Some park users have the misconception that the entire off-leash area will be lost, he said.
He said false claims by the opposition “can be infuriating.” Bowling acknowledges, however, the opposition has done a great job in getting their message out and gaining support.
“We need to do a better job at letting other area members’ voices be heard,” Bowling said.
He also cited government processes, internal changes within the park commission over the years and the duration of the build out for the Golden Gate Park course for the delays in communication. The construction of that course cost approximately $70,000 and required over 4,600 hours from a pool of 200 volunteers.
Bowling said there was no secret agenda to build the course under the radar as some opponents allege.
Despite the disagreements—real or perceived—the SFDGC, along with Recreation and Parks Department, and opposition groups like SMP agree that more community input and outreach are necessary. District 11 Supervisor John Avalos  is currently involved in bringing the opposing sides together, but for now no hearings dates have been announced.
As a former neighbor of the area, Moscow and Russia, one of the reasons I moved out was the ill nature of the park itself. During the day you find any number of individuals using it as an out of the way location to conduct business or anything out of the eyes of the public and police. You have the projects next door that are considered some of the most dangerous in the city. I was never there once without noticing a car drive by smelling like a burning man concert. Sometimes it was just teenagers, but sometimes it was a car full of some pretty intimidating individuals. Call it what you want. The fact that it out of the way and in a questionable part of town is the main reason people don’t use it.
Yes, people should have presented plans earlier and tried to be more forthright with the information but really, what are the neighborhood groups protecting? Let an organization develop an obviously neglected part of the city? Come on…. It’s about time someone improves this area.
Hi James,
I’ve talked to many park neighbors who say twenty, maybe even ten years ago they would agree with you about the tough reputation of that area. And like any urban area, you unfortunately always have to keep your eyes out for unusual human behavior. But especially since 2005 when the area inside Shelley Loop became an official Dog Play Area, as well as many neighbors and other volunteers have continued to pitch in one way or another, the area proposed for the disc golf course has become quite a lovely and safe spot.
Furthermore, they are proposing an area of around 20 football fields to be affected by their new construction in one way or another. This is not a few guys throwing a frisbee around in a small corner of the park. We calculate that it would cover about 35% of the usable area of the 60-acre off-leash Dog Play Area, as well as several acres of prime grassland bird habitat that is in an on-leash area. Please check out our website at http://www.savemclarenpark.org, look over the maps and other research for the proposed disc golf course, and take a visit back to McLaren to see for yourself. SFDGC may be doing all the work and paying for the raw materials but ultimately this will not be an “improvement” for the park.
Thanks,
Ken
James – The area is safe. People bring their children to the park. I walk my dog there almost every day, so I see the regular goings-on close up. For an urban park, it is remarkably peaceful and calm.
Have you considered what the traffic and parking situation will do to the neighborhood? 300-400 people on a Saturday would bring an enormous influx of traffic and congestion. There would certainly be more accidents and altercations because of it.
Developing a blighted area is a good thing as you point out. But the park is not blighted or misused. Any crime you hear about takes place in the streets below the park. Maybe SF should spend some money on improving street lighting where the crime actually occurs!
Thanks,
Rich