Slater Park Disc Golf Course - Pawtucket, Rhode Island

[Rich Gunther]

Hi All,

OK, I posted this originally on the RI course page, but I figured I'd post it here too, more traffic.

It's been a long time since I've posted, but I wanted to get the word out on this. This year, the city of Pawtucket is planning to install an 18 hole course at Slater Park. Fully funded through the Public Works Department, they are looking to have two baskets and two tees per hole, with the long course topping out at 11, 829 feet.
I went on partial walk-through with the Park Supervisor and the Landscape Architect who is designing the course. The location and the holes designs look good at first glance, the work will be in the details of each hole, and making the four layouts per hole work together like we did at Borderland.
What is nice is that the funding and permitting is all in hand or on schedule. Soon comes the detail work of basket type, tee construction options, fairway design tweaking, and all the things that end up taking most of the time, short of actual construction.
An advisory group of interested players/volunteers is probably the next step. Post here if you're interested.

Thanks,

Rich Gunther

[Matt DeAngelis]

Interested

[Mike Dussault]

I am also interested. Who is designing the course?

That is a lot of acreage! Good news Rich. Please keep us updated as you hear more.

Mike

[Nicholas Catano]

Absolutely interested!

[Joseph Mason Proud, III]

Don't think that putting the design in the hands
of a landscape architect is the correct move.
Meow and Drama should have a major input..............

[Titan_Bariloni]

Maybe he researched or knows his stuff and or got consultation and the initial contract bid may have included somehings the state requires for state jobs

Most state rate jobs require your company to bonded for a million plus and require you to have specific equipment and deadlines

It's actually great to see this transition

[Bill Bureau]

Two miles from work...

[Brian Giggey]

It's being designed by a very accomplished Landscape Architect. Our firm was put in touch to be a reviewer over a lot of the spec sheets. He has already laid out the centerlines of the fairways, and last we spoke, we were going to do a couple day consultations to check everything out and help with suggestions for baskets, signage, seating, tee pad specs, etc.

From what I've seen, everything is on schedule and funding is in place.

[James Scanlon]

You can count myself and Chris Calmeiro in. What is the timeframe for this to happen?

[Rich Gunther]

The Landscape Architect for this project has done an excellent job with his research. He has reached out to other desginers (as noted in other posts) and also visited local courses to learn more on a local level. This is how I got involved. He visited Borderland and reached out for assistance. I was a key part of the Borderland design committee (Borderland Disc Golf Development Committee, or BODIGODECOM). But I am far from the authority on course design, so that's one of the reasons I'm putting the call out. Brian, who the architect has worked with on this, has, and is, providing support. Local players, especially Mike and Matt who are a key to Borderland's success, would be key to this as well on a local level on a regular, ongoing basis. And there are other folks with expertise whose input would be important. That's why the local committee for the course is important. It provides support and assistance not just at this stage and through construction, but for all course issues going forward after the course is in the ground. Very exciting.
They want to start installation in the spring. I'll keep you all informed as this develops and also as the group gets going. I've taken note of those that have shown interest on this site, if you could, PM me with your emails if your interested.
Rich

[Jay Melllo]

I assisted the Pawtucket Rec Department with the initial layout and planning of this course and there is one serious underlying issue that needs to be resolved before this project can go forward. A little background first...The project is being funded 50/50 by a RIDEM grant and the City of Pawtucket. The funding for the disc golf course was included with a bunch of offer stuff in the grant, which was approved by RIDEM. When it comes to grant money, once its been allocated to a particular project it has to be spent on that (can't use DG money for a tennis court). The the city received 20k in grant money, which means with their match there is 40k(!) to spend on this course. The city was approved for this grant in late 2013.

Now, the Rec Director is in favor of this project moving forward, however, the Pawtucket Parks Commission is steadfastly against it (http://www.valleybreeze.com/2014-01-28/ ... Qrx1-Ee2jw). Slater Park is a historic park with many old, large trees, as well as other amenities (historic carousel, reflecting pools). Additionally, a good portion of the park is in a national heritage area, which requires permitting. The Parks Commission is opposed to altering this historic park and spending the money on a disc golf course.

If this course actually happens its going to be sick. Its like a flatter version of Wickham Park. There is serious potential everywhere. It's also right next to a major city and pretty easily accessed off the highway. You could host a serious tournament here. The problem is going to be getting the Parks Commission to buy in. At some point I assume we'll need to show our support for the project in terms of letters or attending meetings. I'd love to see installation start in the spring, but I think its a long shot. I hope I'm proven wrong cause this will be a real gem.

[Rob Breckenridge]

Great news guys, 40K is some serious $, multiple tee positions and baskets certainly a possibility with that kind of revenue, Best of luck!

[Sean Franchi]

11,829 foot layout ??? That sounds AWESOME !

[James Scanlon]

Any update? No word from OP since this went up....

[Rich Gunther]

No additional news yet, I'll keep you all posted as it develops. They're still going through the permitting process.

[James Scanlon]

Doing some field practice/teaching some friends the game out at Slater in the field and a nice gentleman named John approached us to talk about the course. He mentioned that he would love some players input on the course design and he said that he thought that the course design might be out there floating around. I would absolutely love to see the layout and be able to walk the park with a putter and portable basket and check it out, if that is a possibility

[Mike Dussault]

I would love to be able to have some real input into a design.

[Dave Jackson]

Me too Mike. Me too.

[Whit Cooper]

HI


I dont get on NEFA much anymore and just came upon this thread.

I went through a 5yr proof of concept with Sherwood Island. I ran temp tournaments yearly as a way of establishing a precedent of disc golf and the park coexisting. The head ranger then approached his other user groups with the 5yr years of history and noted the changes and minor tweaks the temp events had on the layout. I suggest that someone run a 9- or 18 hole temporary event to show them first hand what disc golf would look like in the park. Run a little tournament and invite the Parks council to attend.

Also get letters form other like parks in the region, like Wick, Cranbury, Borderland. Present theses letters after you run the event as a final push.


Just a thought

Good luck,
Whit

[Jay Melllo]

Project went out to bid. Not sure when the bid opening is. I'm guessing some time in June, which puts this project kicking off sometime around mid to late summer, with substantial completion most likely by the end of fall (might trickle into next year a bit).

Got my hands on the plans. Two tees, two pins. Longest course is 11,829 (par 72) shortest is 5,499 (par 68). Looks like a nice mix of open, partially wooded, and wooded. Good use of the limited elevation there. Deluxe baskets (brand not specified per bidding laws). Should be sick.

[Titan_Bariloni]

Whit,

While heading south I drove by Sherwood
I pondered how you did it and if those events had helped

Thanks for the low down
It's good for people to see how much a commitment to getting a course can take

Nice work glad the work paid off

This place sounds amazing
RI just stepped up huge

[Charles Edman]

Project went out to bid. Not sure when the bid opening is. I'm guessing some time in June, which puts this project kicking off sometime around mid to late summer, with substantial completion most likely by the end of fall (might trickle into next year a bit).

Got my hands on the plans. Two tees, two pins. Longest course is 11,829 (par 72) shortest is 5,499 (par 68). Looks like a nice mix of open, partially wooded, and wooded. Good use of the limited elevation there. Deluxe baskets (brand not specified per bidding laws). Should be sick.

Holy wow....That sounds amazing. Slater Park is the same distance from my place as Borderland. Can't wait for this!

[Ryan Sullivan]

http://www.abc6.com/story/29600625/pawt ... olf-course

[Thomas Bentley]

Awesome

[Titan_Bariloni]

would love to see the line items for expenses 67k seems super high

cool piece and great buzz though

ty for posting

[Brian Giggey]

Tim (course designer) brought us on as a reviewer of this project about a year ago. The expenses for the course at that time were about $100k+. While at that time, it was a 2 tee/2 basket course, with concrete pads and benches on every hole, a lot of the money went to prevailing wage labor. $67k is no joke

[Titan_Bariloni]

yeah I suspected it had to be state rate work

good and bad kinda thing

good DG is included in such a project as others rec activities have been for years soccer fields lol

and bad that it drives the cost up somuch it seems redick

[Dave Jackson]

Tim (course designer) brought us on as a reviewer of this project about a year ago. The expenses for the course at that time were about $100k+. While at that time, it was a 2 tee/2 basket course, with concrete pads and benches on every hole, a lot of the money went to prevailing wage labor. $67k is no joke

I did a course and had to pay prevailing wages because of the towns land it was on and it ended up I did the work for free.
Sucked bad.
Prevailing wage was like $46/hr. for a couple grunts to swing a shovel and run a wheelbarrow. LoL.
It boiled down to about 1k per day for two workers.

[Brian Giggey]

Tim (course designer) brought us on as a reviewer of this project about a year ago. The expenses for the course at that time were about $100k+. While at that time, it was a 2 tee/2 basket course, with concrete pads and benches on every hole, a lot of the money went to prevailing wage labor. $67k is no joke

I did a course and had to pay prevailing wages because of the towns land it was on and it ended up I did the work for free.
Sucked bad.
Prevailing wage was like $46/hr. for a couple grunts to swing a shovel and run a wheelbarrow. LoL.
It boiled down to about 1k per day for two workers.

Youch! We've been very blessed to have DPW or in-house staff do the majority of our installs. Prevailing wage is a killer and we saw it first hand when we were reviewing this project. It is what it is though, glad another course is going in the ground

FYI, during our installs, I pay my guys a "measly" $100 per day plus lodging for a 6-8 hour day. They are happy and I'm happy. $46/hour? Wow.

[Jay Melllo]

Ugh:

http://www.valleybreeze.com/2015-09-01/ ... gmLNyFVhBc

To add onto the prevailing wage talk, it's tough on every level. While the contractor is required to pay prevailing wage on the vast majority of public jobs, the municipalities (and their already stretched-thin budgets) ultimately bears the cost. "Laborer-Tree Remover" is $51.75 per hour as of June (rates change every 6 months), with a base rate of $31.15/hr...