Tilden residents enter the city library, bundled up against the cold. They greet each other between sips from their thermoses, then take a seat. Jordan Grummert-Rasmussen and Amanda Kowalewski, extension educators for Rural Prosperity Nebraska, welcome the attendees and begin the first meeting of the Entrepreneurial Communities Activation Process program.
Through a series of surveys, townhall meetings, and the creation and execution of locally designed projects, the ECAP program helps rural Nebraska communities revitalize their towns through entrepreneurship and business development.
“ECAP provides communities the space to reflect on their successes and assets, and in turn learn from and leverage these capacities to improve the quality of life for residents,” Grummert-Rasmussen said.
ECAP has two aims: to strengthen already existing assets and introduce new vitality to communities. The aims are defined by community members, who lead the discussions, set goals and complete projects.
Marilyn Schlake, co-lead for Rural Prosperity Nebraska’s Community Economic Development team, which heads ECAP, emphasizes the focus on each community’s individuality.
“It takes about two to three months to do this process,” she said. “Then (residents) have a plan to start moving forward. But the community decides all that.”
Molly Navratil, a Tilden City Council member, attended the inaugural ECAP meeting with hopes that moving forward didn’t mean abandoning the community’s culture.
“I hope that Tilden keeps its strong, awesome, positive identity,” she said, “but is able to grow in the things that it needs to leap into the future.”
Tilden is taking its first steps in the program, but communities across the state have already seen major improvements by participating.
In 2018, Plainview began the process with a communitywide survey that asked questions about housing, child care, food access, and community culture and vision. Within three years, it welcomed 19 new businesses and created 75 new jobs, remodeled its city park, received multiple federal grants and created a $200,000 revolving loan fund.
“Our main street is full. I have no buildings left,” said Susan Norris, director of Pierce County Economic Development. “ECAP focuses on the positive. It’s such an organic process.”
Plainview is only one example. Auburn is working on downtown revitalization efforts. Osmond is upgrading communitywide broadband service. Hadar created a disc golf course in its city park and is developing a 93-house subdivision.
While Tilden was beginning the ECAP process, just up the road, Atkinson residents were holding the “graduation” session of their year-long program, and they had much to celebrate. Participants reminisced about the progress their community has made, from expanding child care options to updating the community welcome packet — which is delivered to new residents in person — to creating a service-based website, which will launch in the coming months.
“Atkinson has benefitted from the ECAP program because I feel like we were comfortable, and this program came in and challenged us,” said Pam Winer, general property manager of the Sandhills Hotel and president of Atkinson’s Chamber of Commerce.
The crowning event was a career fair for high school students to explore opportunities in Atkinson, which resulted in many students earning employment and internships at local businesses.
Some people participated in the program for personal reasons, like Patti Skrlda, who promised her deceased father she would help “keep Atkinson alive,” she said.
Others joined the team from a professional standpoint, like Sheryl Hiatt, who works for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
“The ECAP process really lays the groundwork for economic development and community development,” she said. “My thing tonight is, I really want to know what’s next.”
A lot falls under that umbrella of “community development,” whether it’s a new restaurant, better child care centers, expanded housing or a revitalized main street. Either way, the spirit of ECAP is in its name — it’s a process.
From completing the first survey to cutting the ribbon on opening day, locals continually strengthen the economic climate in their communities long after the program is “finished.” Atkinson understood this concept, as the final slide of their celebratory presentation asked, “Ideas for future projects?”
WILTON — Wilton is moving forward with renovations at some parks & recreation facilities funded by Judith Bjorn’s $100,000 donation.
The Wilton Select Board authorized Parks and Recreation Department Director Frank Donald to spend up to $38,600 on renovations for the basketball courts at Kineowatha Park.
Donald was authorized to spend the funds on purchases of poles, backboards and paving for the court.
Donald anticipates they will enlist students at Foster Career and Technical Education Center to build the six poles. The town has previously enlisted Foster Tech students for other projects.
Donald said this is a plus for the students, town and community.
For the town, it saves quite a lot of money, Donald said in an interview. And it allows those kids to get some practical experience, take on different kinds of projects, he added.
Donald said that it gives the students “a sense of pride in the community.”
Bjorn donated $100,000 to the town’s parks and recreation department in December.
Bjorn told the town that she wanted the money “to be used to support your expensive programs for youth and families” and “enhance and continue [the parks and recreation department’s] excellent programs.”
The parks and recreation department then conducted an online survey to gauge what community members wanted the town to spend Bjorn’s donation on.
Donald said that of the 87 responses, 29 voted to renovate the courts and 27 voted to build a pavilion in the center of Kineowatha Park.
Other options included maintenance funds for upkeep on the disc golf course and lighting for the tennis and pickle ball courts. Some respondents also suggested work to improve the steep hill leading to the beach at Kineowatha — though Donald said there are some complications with that idea.
Donald currently has full approval for spending on the courts — barring some limits on paving.
He anticipates the new poles and backboards will be installed by late May and hopes the paving will be completed by the end of August.
Donald will return to the board in the future with solidified ideas and quotes for work on the pavilion.
In other business, Wilton is reopening the Share Shack at its transfer station. The announcement was made at the Select Board’s Tuesday, Feb. 4, meeting.
Selectperson Tom Saviello anticipates the Share Shack will reopen April 1. The date of the opening hinges on approval of a set of rules for the shack by the select board.
The Share Shack first opened in 2010 with the intent “to take usable items out of the waste stream for individuals who need them.”
The Town of Wilton’s website currently states that acceptable items include wooden furniture, housewares, tools, building materials and children’s toys. Among unacceptable items are air conditioners, dehumidifiers, glass doors, grills, large appliances, mattresses and box springs, stuffed or upholstered furniture, televisions and computer monitors.
The town closed the shack down at the beginning of the pandemic due to restrictions. It reopened in 2021 and closed again in November 2021 due to concerns of misuse.
At the board’s Nov. 11 meeting, Public Works Foreman John Masse explained the station has had issues with people dropping off “unacceptable items” and creating “pretty much a disaster” despite having “posters everywhere saying what you can and can’t put in.”
At the November meeting, Selectperson Tiffany Maiuri also said she’s seen people “hoarding” items, selling them at yard sales.
The board decided then to close the shack, review the policies, clean it out and figure out how to move forward.
Saviello told the board at the Feb. 15 meeting that the recycling committee is going to write up a set of rules that put limitations on donations and usage.
Saviello told the board the anticipated rules include barring more than one visit to the shack a day and the donation of items that are wrapped in boxes. He also suggested a policy that they clear out items that have been in the shack for a prolonged period of time.
However, Saviello was clear to say they would not to do anything to prevent Share Shack items from being taken and sold at yard sales.
Saviello added in an interview that the committee also plans to have a town employee oversee and approve what people put in the shack.
Saviello will return to the board with rules to approve at some point in March.
February 22, 2022 by Steve Andrews in Instruction, Opinion with comments
I love asking people about their bags and why they carry the discs they do. I was talking to a friend in our club and noticed that they had two Destroyers, a Raider, and a Boss. He also had three midranges that seemed very similar to me: an EMac Truth, a Roc3, and a Compass. When I asked him why he had those particular discs, each one came with a story – a great shot they had thrown with it or the tournament where they had won it. This was a bag built by adding discs, each carrying the memory of a great moment on the course.
Many people’s bags are like this, built like a collection of their favorite songs. They like each of these discs a lot and so their bag has become a kind of greatest hits of their plastic. But a collection of favorite songs does not always work together as a whole. Instead, you should think of your bag as an old-fashioned mixtape — all the tracks need to flow and sometimes this means leaving out a favorite that just doesn’t work or including a song that holds everything together.
The important thing is to see your discs as a set. Each one plays a role, and they cooperate to help you navigate the course. You want manageable and consistent gaps between your discs to help you always have the right tool for the shot you need.
Build Out from a Solid Core
Your discs must cover all the shots you will need from your shortest approach to your longest drive. How you get there will depend on the discs you decide are the “center” of your bag. This will be different for every player, depending on their power level and the kinds of shots they like to throw. If you love hyzerflips, you may need a completely different lineup than if you rely on flex shots. It is not just whether discs are “great discs” – it is whether they fit the shots you throw the best.
Your bag should start with a disc that you love. This tentpole disc will then determine the discs you choose to fill out the rest of your lineup. Once you have that disc, you can build outwards in two ways – by finding similar discs in other speeds and by filling gaps around your tentpole disc. For the first method, look for discs that allow you throw the same shot at different distances. For example, if you are a powerful forehand player who leans on the Raptor, you can build off that disc. If you throw the Raptor around 300 feet, then you need other discs that give you a similar flight but with different distance potential. You are essentially looking for a driver, midrange, and putter version of the Raptor. For example, this player’s bag might have a “spine” of the Force, Raptor, Malta, and Zone. With this lineup, they can throw the shots they like best and use one style of throw to cover a wide range of distances. On open courses, they might only throw this shot with these discs all day.
Another way to build out your bag is by adding discs that compliment the tentpole discs. As a player with only moderate power, fairways are often the most important discs I carry, and I like to build my bag out from my main fairway driver. I have had several discs in this slot as my bag has evolved and right now my bag centers on the Teebird3. It is exactly what a tentpole disc should be: it is straight enough to be a go-to disc for a wide variety of situations and flies over 300 feet while being stable enough to resist some wind. As one of the Innova “3” models, it is also flat enough to be a good fit for my sometimes shaky forehand.
I need to fill out my bag with discs that fill the gaps around my Teebird3. In my fairway lineup, that is a straighter fairway that works great in the woods, a less stable fairway for hyzerflips that ride right, and an overstable fairway that can hold up better in the wind and be more reliable on a forehand. For me, I put in a Leopard3, which is much straighter than a Teebird3, a Roadrunner for hyzerflips, and a Firebird, which is much more overstable. I will throw the Teebird3 whenever I can, but those other discs are there to give me very manageable gaps between the discs in my fairway lineup.
This is the place where some players cycle discs instead of adding extra molds. A different player might simply beat in a Teebird3 until it was flippy enough to fit that slot instead of adding in a Leopard 3. That is also a great approach. The goal is to have useful gaps between your discs so you can cover every shot you need, and every disc has their own lane. Getting there by cycling discs or adding discs can both work. You can also mix these approaches; I like to cycle my drivers while carrying multiple molds for my short game discs.
This is also where you need to pay attention to variations within a mold. I can find Leopard3s, especially in the halo plastic, that are almost as overstable as my more beat-in Teebird3s. But though I love the feel of those halo Leopard3s, I don’t carry them. Instead, I bag a mellow middle stability Leopard3 because I want to maintain the gap between my Leopard3s and the other discs in my fairway lineup. Every disc in my bag has a specific role; the Leopard3 is there to fly dead straight and land flat.
Sometimes, you find a new disc you love and want to include it in your bag. Resist the temptation to just toss it in without thinking about how it will relate to the other discs you already carry. When you add one, think about whether it overlaps with other discs in your bag. I fell in love with the Mako3 and, when I added it to my bag, I discovered I needed to move other discs out because their flights were too similar.
I love the Berg. It is a great disc, it fun to throw, and has a completely unique flight. But the strength of my play is my short game, and it has been fine-tuned by hours and hours of joyfully monotonous field work with a Harp. Adding the Berg would require moving things around and could affect one of the best parts of my game. Maybe I should do it, but until I can pull the trigger to really shake things up my stack of Bergs stays in the basement.
Discovering a Gap
Sometimes you find a gap when you confront a shot that just doesn’t seem to be in your bag. You might discover that your midranges are too overstable to hold the turnover you need or find out that your bag has trended too much to the understable side and you can’t trust your drivers or fairways in the wind. This happens frequently if you always do your fieldwork in calm conditions. After throwing in the field, I often find myself adding discs that go further with a little more turn and then find out that disc with a perfect little turn becomes a roller when the wind blows in a tournament round.
One way to find these kinds of gaps is by playing rounds with a limited bag. A few weeks ago, I went out and played a “mids only” round. When I started, I was happy with my midrange lineup – a very overstable RocX3, a mellow Mako3, and an understable Tursas – but my gaps collapsed when the wind started blowing. It wasn’t howling, but it was enough that the Mako3 was flipping over and the Tursas became a roller. These discs, which seemed very different from each other during my field work, became very similar with just a small change in the conditions. Another problem was that the RocX3 was so overstable it flew too short off the tee.
Before this round, I thought the Mako3 was my long stable midrange. It is…as long as there isn’t any wind. Once the wind picked up, I couldn’t trust the Mako3 or get the distance I needed out of the RocX3. I needed to make a change, so I moved to a more overstable Mako3 and replaced the RocX3 with a Westside Bard that gave me the same overstability with more distance. Now I have better gaps between my discs and can face changing conditions with more confidence.
Some gaps you will find in your bag are situational. You may discover that the straight mid that you love for most of your rounds isn’t that straight when you must throw down a wooded tunnel. The fifteen to twenty feet of fade at the end of the flight that you hardly notice on a wide-open approach may send you down a 30-foot ravine in the woods. I have Raiders that are reliably overstable on a calm day but flip in a 20-mph headwind.
When this happens, there are a couple of questions to ask – is this a common situation, or a shot you aren’t likely to need very often? If this is just a unique situation or an oddly shaped hole, then you probably don’t need to change anything. However, if the situation is common enough to necessitate a change, sometimes the solution is easy, such as just adding a more overstable driver. But if you have common shots that are hard to pull off – if you can’t throw turnovers very well, for example, and you play courses where they are necessary – your bag may have become too full of overstable discs and you need to think about making some changes.
It may also be that you don’t need a new disc, you need a new shot. You may just need more field work working on turnovers or forehands with the discs you have. Often it is a blending of the two, you may need a disc that can more easily hit a particular line and more time in the field dialing in that shot.
Everyone’s Gaps are Different
A forehand dominant power player should have a different bag than me, a righthanded backhand player who builds their bag around moderate stability discs and accuracy. Where his bag might be built around the Force, Raptor, and Malta, my bag may center on the Sheriff, Teebird3, and Mako3. These bags are completely different, but they are both built around the kinds of shots we throw the best and supplemented with discs that help close the gaps.
Your playing style will reveal the gaps that need to be filled. One of my weaknesses is my forehand – I simply can’t throw them for distance. On the other hand, I love throwing hyzerflips that ride out to the right. I have much more confidence on throwing with my standard slight hyzer angle whenever I can and letting the discs do the work. My bag reflects this – right now I carry a Roadrunner and a Tursas, two discs that are very understable and perfect for this shot. The problem is that there is about 100 feet between their average distances. That gap is unmanageably large. I need a disc that will sit between them and be reliable on a hyzerflip with a right finish and go about 300 feet. I am still looking.
If I developed a great forehand, I might not need to carry these discs at all and my bag would look completely different. That’s fine. Build your bag around the discs and shots you like to throw. If you don’t throw many forehands and you don’t have a lot of power, you may not need many overstable discs in your bag. If your main shot is a huge forehand flex, then you may not need many understable options. You want to fill in the gaps around your favorite discs but build a bag that fits your game.
Yes, we should all strive to throw every shot we need with every disc we have. If you have gotten to the place where you can carry a bag like Philo’s – only five molds broken in perfectly that you can throw on every angle – then that is great. And, to be honest, I envy you. Until then, build a bag that fits your game and gives you manageable gaps – each disc working together to allow you to get the most out of your game.
This summer the Jellystone Park Camp-Resort is taking over Beaver Brook Campground in North Monmouth. According to MaineBiz, it will be called the Augusta Jellystone Park. There are 75 Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts in the country and this is actually Maine’s second. Yogi Bear has been stealing picnic baskets up in Skowhegan at Yonder Hill.
campjellystone.com
campjellystone.com
Beaver Brook was the perfect place for a Jellystone takeover. They already have a waterpark with tube slides, a heated pool, miniature golf, and disc golf. The new owners plan on making some renovations and improvements including property-wide Wi-Fi.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts Facebook
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts Facebook
These franchised Yogi Bear Jellystone camps sound fun. Especially if you are a kid. I’m not sure if kids these days even know who Yogi Bear is, but he was created by Hanna-Barbera (Flinstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo). He was a character in a cartoon called Huckleberry Hound. He was a breakout star from that cartoon. Not sure if there is bad blood between them, but no one cares about Huckleberry Hound and everyone loves Yogi Bear. Who came first? Yogi Bear, not Yogi Bera and yes, he was named after the famed Yankee.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts/Facebook
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts/Facebook
There’s tons to do with Yogi and your family. Like fishing. Why Yogi is using a pole and not his God-given talent as a bear is beyond me, but fishing is something you can do at Jellystone in Augusta. Are you up for some camping with a big bear? They are taking reservations now!
LOOK: Oldest Disneyland Rides From 1955 to Today
Stacker, set out to compile a definitive list of every Disneyland attraction you can enjoy today and ranked them by their age. Using real-time data from Touring Plans, Disney archives, and historical news releases and reviews, our list starts with exciting recent park additions and stretches back to the oldest opening-day classics. This list focuses on the original Disneyland Park, so you will not see any rides from its neighboring California Adventure located just across the promenade. Read on to discover the oldest Disneyland rides you can still ride today.
KEEP READING: Here are the most popular baby names in every state
Using March 2019 data from the Social Security Administration, Stacker compiled a list of the most popular names in each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., according to their 2018 SSA rankings. The top five boy names and top five girl names are listed for each state, as well as the number of babies born in 2018 with that name. Historically common names like Michael only made the top five in three states, while the less common name Harper ranks in the top five for 22 states.
Curious what names are trending in your home state? Keep reading to see if your name made the top five — or to find inspiration for naming your baby.
HOCKINSON — After years in the works, Hockinson Meadows Community Park is finally getting an 18-hole disc golf course.
“It’s been a painfully long time,” Josh Dearing of Vancouver said. “I’m an eternal optimist, but I’m also a realist in the sense there’s always someone that might not want something in their backyard. I really hope the community will back it.”
Romaine Rotschy, senior lead estimator for Tapani Inc., which was awarded the contract to build the course, said construction will begin in late April or early May and will finish up by the end of summer. Clark County Public Works’ records estimate the cost for the entire project at $455,169.
Public Works will host a virtual open house at 5 p.m. Wednesday where area residents and disc golf enthusiast can learn more about what is being planned for the popular north county park, ask questions and provide feedback.
The Clark County Council initially approved construction in 2016 with an estimated opening in 2018. It would have been the first 18-hole disc golf course in the county. But there were delays in finding the right property and raising the money needed to build the course. In April 2021, an 18-hole course opened at Washougal’s Hartwood Park.
Dearing, the former treasurer of Stumptown Disc Golf said he and Steve Carson of Vancouver/Clark Disc Golf have been working for several years to make Hockinson course a reality. As avid players, the pair also worked to create a new course at Leverich Community Park in Vancouver
Dearing said disc golfing often leads to parks being safer and cleaner. He said that happened at the Leverich park, but that changed after some of the course was removed and the park was no longer used.
“The local disc golf community cares, they’re trying to be careful about any concerns with neighbors, they’re really careful about picking up trash,” Dearing said.
Dearing said the Hockinson park will also take some of the pressure off other disc golf courses, which are in high demand. There are courses at Glenwood Community Church in the Glenwood area of unincorporated Clark County, Abrams Park and Pekin Ferry RV Park in Ridgefield, Paradise Point State Park in La Center, and Yacolt Recreational Park in Yacolt, which feature 9- to 12-hole courses.
The new course is being built on a 40-acre parcel of parkland separate from the existing developed park areas. According to the county, the course was designed to meet Professional Disc Golf Association standards and each hole will include a tee pad, hole marker, basket, and a bench.
“There’s grading around all four sides of the property. They’re building a walking path that ties from the existing park to the south. They’re building a nice pedestrian bridge across the irrigation canal and creating a walking/jogging path that wraps the entire park to the north,” Rotschy said.
The project also includes installation of a new 225-square-foot covered play structure — similar to structures already in the park — with picnic tables. Just over one mile of trails will be added when construction is complete.
To create the disc golf course, Rotschy said eco-blocks will be used at each of the 18 holes, noting the county is trying to minimize the amount of concrete brought into the park to avoid compacting the soil.
It’s not just disc golf enthusiasts supporting the project.
“I think adding more services to the park is great for the community. Having more outdoor activities is great,” said Cat Montgomery of the Greater Brush Prairie Neighborhood Association. “There have been concerns over park safety, the stresses put on the sheriff’s department due to COVID. We had been under the impression that the project had been shelved so we were happy to see that fundraising is there.”
Montgomery said the neighborhood association fully supports “anything that brings the community out together and enhances what people moved to the Pacific Northwest for, which is outside activities.”
Montgomery said disc golf has a widespread following and is something people of all ages and skills can play. A recently released report from UDisc (the official app of the Professional Disc Golf Association that tracks golf rounds, leagues and courses) showed the number of rounds scored on the app in 2021 increased nearly 50 percent from 2020. The report also showed the number of courses worldwide increased 15 percent from 2020, with around 71 percent being free to play.
“The more you take your kids there, and your family there then the more pride there will be in the park,” Montgomery added.
Those wanting to ask questions or offer public comment at the open house will need to register in advance at clark.wa.gov/public-works/hockinson-meadows-community-park. Registrants will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the meeting. Those who do not register can still listen in by calling 1-408-418-9388. The meeting number is 2484 249 9390 and the password is Park.
Eight-year-old Carida Booker, of Delhi, watched by grandmother Christine Guest, plays in the snow Monday along the Waterford Heritage Trail. They were among the many people who took advantage of sunny weather on Family Day to get outdoors. Vincent Balljpg, BR
Area residents took advantage of sunny winter weather to get outdoors and enjoy Family Day.
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“It’s refreshing,” Jackie Murphy said as she watched her son, Spencer, and her granddaughter, Everleigh, toboggan in Waterford. “This is the kind of day I think we all needed.
“We’ve been cooped up for too long. And all us, especially our children, need to get outside and play.”
Murphy enjoyed watching Spencer and Everleigh slide down the hill on the First Concession, just up the road from the Waterford Deer Park. Later, they planned to get some hot chocolate.
Carida Booker, 8, of Delhi, spent time with her five-year-old sister, Fionnagh, and their grandmother, Christine Guest, playing in the snow by the Waterford Heritage Trail.
“This is wonderful,” Guest said. “Just wonderful….”
For those who wanted to learn about Norfolk County’s history, the Waterford Heritage and Agricultural Museum was open.
In Brantford, residents gathered at Harmony Square to skate on the outdoor rink and went swimming at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.
Jon Kristman, of Burford, ties up his son Grayson’s skate while his other son Landon waits to get on the ice at the Brant Sports Complex in Paris. They were among about 80 people who visited the sports complex on Family Day. Vincent Balljpg, BR
In Brant County, about 80 people took advantage of a free Family Day skate at Brant Sports Complex in Paris, while others visited the Simply Grand Dog Park at the Green Lane Sports Complex.
Brad Trickett, Lara Phillips, Stephen Van Horne and Joan Phillips, of Burlington, visit Green Lane Sports Complex in Paris on Family Day to play a round of disc golf. Sunny weather and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions brought people outdoors to enjoy activities. Vincent Balljpg, BR
The Green Lane complex in Paris has become a popular spot for many people who enjoy disc golf, such as Brad Trickett, Lara Phillips, Stephen Van Horne and Joan Phillips, who were visiting from Burlington.
“We’re here today for Family Day but this is Sunday morning ritual for us,” Joan said. “ We’re out here early in the morning and once we finish … here, we head to Mohawk Park in Brantford.
“We make a day of it and it’s a lot of fun.”
Heather and Aiden Sugden spend part of Monday skating at the Brant Sports Complex in Paris. Skating was one of many activities held in Brant County and in Brantford to help local residents enjoy Family Day. Vincent Balljpg, BR
Those who got outdoors Monday will be especially grateful in light of a special weather statement Environment Canada issued for Brantford and Brant and Oxford counties. The forecast for Tuesday calls for significant rainfall, with between 15 to 20 millimetres possible.
Sunshine and a seasonal temperature of -5 C are expected to return on Wednesday and Thursday.
Kentwood in August will ask residents to consider a proposal geared toward city parks, trails, and recreational improvements.
The Aug. 2 ballot imitative dedicates $1 million that, if approved, will support the city’s parks, trails, and recreational facilities and programming.
Millage funds would improve all trails and parks and would expand and enhance programming through increased capacity in space and staffing. Funds also would be used to fund a remodel of the area surrounding Kentwood City Hall into a community recreation center and park space.
“Since celebrating Kentwood’s 50th anniversary in 2017, we’ve dedicated significant time and effort planning for the next 50 years of community growth through collaboration with our residents and other partners,” said Mayor Stephen Kepley. “Available parks and recreation funding has not kept pace with increased residential demand, delaying repairs for the community today and significantly limiting future improvements. If approved, this millage would provide a permanent sustainable funding source to improve, operate and maintain parks, trails, and other amenities and services for generations to come.”
The $1 million proposed millage was recommended by parks advisory committees that included residents and other stakeholders. Planning also included community engagement and a review of Kentwood’s current parks, trails and programming, its projected growth and community needs.
Advisory committees also recommended the city contribute additional funds up to $22 million from other public and private sources to attain the needed improvements. The plan for the millage ballot proposal, which was unanimously approved, was presented to the city commission on Dec. 7, for the Aug. 2 election.
“Our extensive community engagement and planning process has shown our community needs have grown beyond available funding,” said Val Romeo, director, Kentwood Parks and Recreation. “This has been reaffirmed by increased use of our parks, trails and recreational offerings throughout the past two years.”
The proposed millage would support Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades and other improvements and developments, including:
Bowen Station Park:Restroom, playground equipment, signage, landscaping and other amenities
Burgis Park: Trail and sidewalk improvements and a new drinking fountain.
City campus: Splash pad, playground, plaza, shelters, stage, event lawn, parking, restrooms and other amenities
Community recreation center: Approximately 50,000 square feet of year-round, indoor and all-ages programming and recreation space on the city campus
Covenant Park phase one: Trails, sports fields, event lawn, lighting and infrastructure to support future phases
East Paris Nature Park:Trail improvements, signage and other amenities
Home Acres Park: Skate park improvements, shade shelters, lighting, signage, landscaping and other amenities
Jaycee Park: New restroom/program building, added parking, disc golf improvements and other amenities
Kellogg Woods Park: Restrooms, softball/baseball field improvements, new sports fields, lighting and landscaping
Northeast Park: Restrooms, playground, splash pad, landscaping and other amenities
Old Farm Park: Parking improvements, playground, shelter and other amenities
Paris Park: Trail improvements and signage
Pinewood Park: Splash pad improvements, pickleball courts, a new restroom, shade shelters, landscaping and other amenities
Rondo Street Station Park: Playground, bicycle rack and repair center, signage, landscaping and other amenities
Stanaback Park: Playground, parking improvements, signage, pickleball courts, landscaping and other amenities
Stauffer Station Park: Kiosk, bicycle rack and repair center, signage, lighting, landscaping and other amenities
Summerwood Park: Playground and landscaping
Trails: Repairs, replacement and new connections
Veterans Memorial Park: Shelter, added parking and other amenities
According to Romeo, The Parks and Recreation department exhausted current general funds, including a parks millage that expired in 2013.
“We have been able to make improvements only through grant opportunities, which are becoming more and more difficult to acquire. New funding is critical to support our growing community needs,” Romeo said.
If passed, the millage would be levied starting July 1, 2023, with the following tentative timeline:
All parks would receive improvements to address the most immediate needs within the first five years, with all remaining improvements completed within 10 years.
Trail improvements and construction planning would be prioritized in the first year, followed by ongoing trail repairs and expansion to enhance the trails for all users.
Construction of city campus park amenities and community recreation center would begin in the second year.
More information regarding the millage proposal is here.
WHILE the possible development of homes at the former Reading Golf Club course in Emmer Green has caused controversy, the club’s new home is being transformed.
The club merged with Caversham Heath Golf Club in April last year to create The Caversham at the latter’s course in Mapledurham.
The move was prompted by declining membership at both clubs, a problem which has affected golf clubs nationwide.
The 250-acre course has been renovated and work to transform the old clubhouse will begin soon.
The £6.8 million investment is being funded by the planned construction of 223 homes at the former Reading Golf Club course, off Kidmore End Road, by developer Fairfax.
Reading Borough Council is due to decide whether to approve the plans after receiving an estimated 4,000 critical comments, which is believed to be a record for a single application.
Meanwhile, the course at The Caversham has been updated by Canadian architect Tom McBroom, who has been designing courses for the past 25 years in Europe, America, the Caribbean and, more recently, China.
Twelve of his courses are ranked in Canada’s top 100 and two of his Finnish courses are ranked in the top 100 in Europe.
Mr McBroom says his work combines an understanding of the history of the game of golf with a creative flair and vision and that his designs capture the character of the land on which they are built.
He applies this when crafting a new course or restoring “a weary masterpiece”.
Work at Mapledurham began in May 2019 and was largely completed by August last year. Some work, such as filling in the old bunkers on the course, continues.
There is a new driving range and a new six-hole course for players to improve their game.
Gary Stangoe, general manager of Reading Golf Club, who is now in charge of The Caversham, says: “Practice is so important and we want to provide our membership with state-of-the-art practice facilities.
“The six-hole practice course is built to United States Golf Association standards and will act as an academy course for members.
“It will really benefit members, particularly juniors and females. It’s built to the highest standards and you’ll be able to play there very quickly, which will increase learning and experience.
“We’re delighted with the new main course and it has been recognised as outstanding.
“There has been a subtle rerouting of the existing holes and the bunkering and there are a couple of new greens. This has made it more playable and more adaptable and added a bit of variety.
“It plays exceptionally well in the winter months due to being free-draining — we’ve increased the drainage and there are three new bunkers. The response from members has been amazing.”
The course has a combination tee system, which is unusual in Britain but common in America.
Different coloured tees mean players start at a different distance from the hole according to their ability. A board at the entrance to the course recommends a tee colour based on a player’s handicap.
Mr Stangoe explains: “Normally, the colours of the tee are gendered but we’ve changed it to become gender-neutral.
“There’s so much more we can offer now. We were restricted by the size of the old golf course, restricted in terms of holes and also noise concerns from local residents. There was very little way of improving the facilities.
“We’ve worked with the Golf Environment Organisation to improve the environmental standards as we made our changes. We wanted the course to be low maintenance and the design took that into account.
“We’ve created a meadow of old flowers around the circumference, which has been well received locally and is open as walking routes. Since June we’ve run off solar panels.
“We’ve invested in local companies and local contractors did the majority of the work on the course. We’re delighted to have been able to do that and it has been a real part of the success.
“It’s now a championship level course which could host the elite of professional events.”
The course will host next year’s English Girls’ Championships, which will be a six-day event with 144 competitors from around the world and their families attending.
Mr Stangoe said it would be the biggest event in the history of Reading Golf Club and would bring in a lot of extra spending in the area.
The club already has planning permission to refurbish the clubhouse. There will be a new health and wellbeing suite with treatment rooms, a yoga and Pilates studio and a golf fitness gym.
The club will also introduce a private dining and meeting room, a room to be used for hot desking and a new upstairs area in what is currently empty roof space.
Mr Stangoe said: “The extension will create additional facilities which will bring new revenue streams.
“The jewel in the crown will be a beautiful, south-west facing, 37m long balcony overlooking the golf course.
“There will be seating for up to 120 people and it’s outside dining, which is so important at the moment. It will be one of the nicest views locally to have a dining area.”
He said the staff and members from the two clubs had merged well.
“We’ve retained employment for the staff of both courses,” said Mr Stangoe. “They are really supportive about the future of the club.
“Ninety per cent of the members from both clubs were there at the start on April 1. They’ve all been very positive about the changes.
“Our membership is now full but we have some opportunities in certain categories.
“The fact that we have been so busy is welcome. We’re now facing issues in terms of accommodating all the interest.”
Speaking about the old course in Emmer Green, Mr Stangoe said new green spaces would be created and open to the public.
Part of the old course hosts Fairways Family Golf Centre with a nine-hole golf course, an 18-hole disc golf course and a nine-hole foot golf course.
Mr Stangoe said players took disc golf and foot golf seriously and the centre would be hosting competitive events.
He said: “The prospect of development has created a reaction, which is understandable.
“But less than 10 per cent of the land at the old site is to be built upon. The remaining land will be green and for the first time in 110 years it’s going to become accessible with a country park, allotments, walkways and cycleways.”
ALEXANDRIA, VA–We’ve picked a few of the best dog-friendly hiking trails in Virginia for you and your pet pal. With spring and summer right around the corner pet parents and fur babies alike will be heading out into the great outdoors with gusto. Because of the longer days and warmer temps on the horizon we’ve compiled some pawsitively perfect dog-friendly hiking trails for you and your pooch to explore right here in Virginia.
Quick Facts:
Know what the pet policy is for each park
Be prepared for a pet emergency
Your pet needs a leash no more than 6 feet long
Bag your pets waste and place it in a trash can
For a starter trail, Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton, Virginia has a network of over eight and a half miles of trails. With it being only about thirty-five minutes from Old Town Alexandria, this could be the perfect place to start training for a more intensive hike for your furry pal. Pohick Bay features other activities like disc golfing, equestrian trails, fishing, mini-golf, The Pirate’s Cove Water Park, and paddle boat tours. The park is open from sunrise to sunset and free for Virginia residents.
The scenic Potomac Heritage Trail is another great pet-friendly trail system for your dog. Within the vast trail network itself, there are no off-leash areas. Stay extra vigilant on your hike for ticks that are prevalent as well. Make sure to take precautions before, during, and after your hike so that you and your pet stay safe. The Potomac Heritage Trail network is an extensive network of many different areas so make sure that choose which one will be the right fit. For more information on hours and locations be sure to check out The Potomac Heritage Trail website for more details!
(Photo Courtesy of Pexels)
Beaverdam Reservoir which in 2023 officially becomes Beaverdam Reservoir Park has one and half miles of hiking trails which can be another short beginner trail for hiking with your dog. This trail which has been designated with an easy skill level is suitable for the first hike with your pup. The Reservoir is open from dawn until dusk and all pets are required to remain on a leash.
Shenandoah National Park is a national park that prides itself on being pet-friendly. Of the more than 500 miles of hiking trails, 12 trails which total less than 20 miles are totally off-limits to pets. Ranking as one of the best national parks on the east coast Shenandoah’s proverbial street cred comes also from being ranked on the National Register of Historic Places. If you eventually get super tired from basking in the great outdoors you don’t have to get anxious about your overnight arrangements as well because at the Skyland, Big Meadows Lodge, and Lewis Mountain Cabins pets are welcomed.
Prince William Forest Park which is open to the public from sunrise to sunset boasts the largest Piedmont Forest in the entire national park system and also has the largest greenspace in the DC area, which is more than enough open space for you and your dog to really get moving. The 15,000-acre park which is located near the Quantico Marine Base has 37 hiking trails and only three areas are no-go areas for pets. To enter the park entry fees are required and are valid for seven days. Yearly passes are also available and are valid for one full year with unlimited entry upon purchase.
(Photo Courtesy of Pinterest)
Having a commute time of less than 15 miles away from DC, Great Falls Park has a variety of spectacular attributes. The 800-acre park has 15 miles of hiking trails, 163 different bird species, and several rare varieties of plants that call the park home. With it also being touted as one of the most popular staycation destinations in the area. It will be an amazing experience for you and your dog to experience the breathtaking Mather Gorge which shows the Potomac River’s rapids. Don’t worry about any off-limits areas here, your pet is welcome in all of the outdoor areas of the park, with their leash of course! Be mindful though of coyotes and snakes that call the park home too. The park is open from 7:00 am to thirty minutes after sunset. Great Falls also requires entrance fees to access the park. Digital entrance fees and passes are available along with various pass options.
Now that you’ve got a great list of local trails to check out as the weather gets warmer, it’s time for you and your dog can get out there and go on some fantastic adventures together. Remember we want you and your pet to have the most amazing time out enjoying nature but please know before you go! Do your research about each park so you can prep your pet with items specifically for them to have a safe and happy hiking day. With that said Happy Hiking!
( Photo Courtesy of Pixabay)
For more information about how to prep your dog for their hike be sure to check out Honest Paws for more pawesome pet hiking tips!
Just wanted to say thank you all for enduring a day without the news. My daughter’s first birthday was earlier this month, but because my son was sick we didn’t get to celebrate. I took Saturday to give her a wonderful day, and appreciate your understanding of my absence.
First, today’s weather:
Mild with clouds and sun. High: 68 Low: 55.
Here are the top stories in Durham today:
Two people were killed and two more were injured in an apartment complex break in on early Saturday. The incident happened at the Cadence at RTP around 1:30am. The two surviving victims were taken to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries. The complex is about two miles from NCCU, but no students were involved in the incident. (WRAL)
Durham police are investigating a daytime shooting that sent one man to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The incident occurred just before 12:30pm on Sunday near E. Main Street and Angier Avenue. (CBS17)
The puppy who was taken from the Animal Protection Society of Durham was returned on Friday night. The Durham County Sheriff’s Office released photos of the puppy and suspects, and the puppy thief surrendered to authorities. The dog is now safe with her remaining littermates at the shelter, and up for adoption. (CBS17)
Judges are in the process of selecting new redistricting maps after the North Carolina General Assembly submitted their maps on Friday. The judges will work with three experts that were appointed to review the enacted districts to adopt or approve plans that comply with the state constitution. They have until midday Wednesday to select maps. (Spectrum News 1)
Cupid’s Undie Run saw dozens of pantsless runners out to raise money for Children’s Tumor Foundation and neurofibromatosis (NF). None of the runners sported “risque” options though many incorporated Valentine’s Day themes. (abc11)
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