As the weather turns from winter to spring, that could mean only one thing as the Village readies its newest playing field with roundish objects, chain-link, above-ground baskets awaiting as you gathering of yourself, your family and a bunch of friends. (Hint: It’s not basketball)

On the west end of Pleasant Prairie Park at 108th Avenue north of 84th Street is the village’s first disc golf course, which was all but completed in October and is soon to be open for use by the public this spring.

The par 3, nine-hole course, while smaller than some in the surrounding area is “a little bit of a challenging, technical course” with its share of trees and other topographical terrain and sight-line bending features, according to the village’s Public Works Director John Steinbrink Jr., who presented to the Parks Commission an update of its progress Tuesday night. The Commission voted unanimously declaring the course ready for use this spring, weather permitting.

“We’re very excited to have it. We just wanted to make the commission and the rest of the public aware that it is something that is complete,” he said. “As soon as the ground thaws it will be ready.”

The disc golf park is part of a development plan for Pleasant Prairie Park, which added 4.4 acres to the previous 22-acre property on the village’s northwest side.

Other improvements on the west end of the park include grading, seeding and connecting the property, which had ended at 104th Avenue and is now extended to 108th Avenue. Pleasant Prairie Park’s east end also underwent improvement in October with two previously gravel parking areas receiving a coat of asphalt enhancing the other already established amenities from the youth soccer field, basketball hoops, tennis courts, a playground area and green space. Restroom facilities were added, too.

On the west end of the park, a new east-west gravel road that bisects nearly all of the course is currently closed for use by motorized vehicles, so no golf carts can travel there just yet. But, it is currently open to foot traffic, Steinbrink said.

“It’s closed right now and we’ll have to come up with a schedule for when we want to open it,” he said. “Right now it’s closed because the grass (around it) is still establishing. The last thing we’d want is somebody going in there in the night-time hour and not being able to see well, possibly drive off the path and do some damage.

“It’s accessible for pedestrians, but we don’t have a time frame where we’re looking to open it,” Steinbrink said.

Soon to come with the village’s disc golf course will be score cards. Steinbrink said he hopes to eventually work with a sponsor to help pay for the costs of distribution. A course map is also anticipated to be available online along with the signage at the park.

Steinbrink said he had never played the sport, which is popular among local enthusiasts, who’ve had to go to other nearby facilities, until he tested the village’s new course. Among other courses in the area are at the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Somers and Lincoln Park in Kenosha, both 18-hole courses.

“I never played before that first day and I was still able to throw a Frisbee semi-close to where it had to go without too much distress or too much loss on the disc,” he said.

“It’s a lot of fun. Looking forward to it,” he said of the village’s upcoming parks and recreation season. “There’s a lot of sports that as we age, and like me, we can’t play. Here’s something that I think I’ll be able to accomplish and maybe other people (also), for years to come.”