Plans for a disc golf course at Pass Creek Regional Park will push ahead but it remains to be seen how much the project will cost and how it will be paid for.
The Kootenay Rockies Disc Golf Society already had support from the Castlegar and District Rec Commission, but the exact route of the nine-hole course has yet to be determined.
At its July meeting, the commission asked for a staff report on how much the pre-development work would cost as well as environmental and biological considerations.
“The preferred alignment should avoid environmentally sensitive areas wherever feasible to minimize assessment requirements, permitting, mitigation measures, and potential project delays,” the report presented to the commission last week read.
“If routing through these areas cannot be avoided, environmental assessments should be undertaken to evaluate potential impacts and determine appropriate mitigation measures.”
Staff say a registered biologist may need to look at certain areas of the course, at an estimated cost of $10,000 to $25,000 depending on the route. A danger tree assessment will also be required at a cost up to $5,000.
The proposed budget calls for $32,000 for the prep work to come from an existing recreation service fund and $60,000 to actually design and install the course. Staff identified $28,000 in potential grant opportunities, leaving a shortfall of $32,000.
The report added the course is feasible in Pass Creek park “considering the abundance of space and land that is moderately used.” It pointed to Art Gibbon Park in Nelson as an example of a park that was installed “to great success, with minimal disruption to the ecology, and with minimal cost.”
“Disc golf in this location is very practical,” operations manager Craig Stanley told the commission. “It does not go against the park management plan.”
He said they have to be mindful of the natural environment and avoid ecologically sensitive areas as determined by a biologist. Stanley said the course will not be routed through high traffic areas such as the campground.
The commission gave staff the go-ahead to continue working with the society on planning the course’s route, scheduling construction, and figuring out who will pay for the installation and ongoing maintenance.
“The expenses for this project are not high,” said Area J director Henny Hanegraaf, adding that she felt the course would provide a sport that participants “get to do essentially for free once you buy your discs. You don’t have to pay a whole bunch of expensive fees. So I think that’s a real benefit to the entire community.”
The disc golf society, which has been trying to find a spot for a course since 2024, turned to Pass Creek Regional Park after ruling out Kinnaird Park when western screech owls were spotted in the area that the society had hoped to use.
