Disc Golf community consultation

Staff Report

At the November 13, 2024 Infrastructure and Community Investment Committee meeting, the following motion was introduced:

That the report concerning the feasibility of developing a 9-hole disc golf course at 420 Bayview Drive, entitled “Bayview Disc Golf Course”, be received.

The report contains background information, analysis, site feasibility, survey results, and estimated cost. The report can be viewed on Legistar or downloaded from the "Documents" section on the right-hand side of this page.

The meeting recording can be viewed on the City's YouTube channel. The report was deferred for consideration to a future Infrastructure and Community Investment Committee meeting.

Public Consultation

The public survey was open until August 30, 2024. Thank you for your feedback! Results of the community consultation will be shared via a staff report to Barrie's Infrastructure and Community Investment Committee in November 2024.

Disc Golf in Barrie

Disc golf is a rapidly growing, affordable and accessible recreation activity. Disc golf is a flying disc game in which individual players throw a flying disc at a target called a basket. The game is played like traditional golf, with 9 or 18 baskets on narrow “fairways”. When the “putt” lands in the basket, the “hole” is completed. The object of the game is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest number of throws of the disc.

The City of Barrie's Sandy Hollow course is among the most used courses in Canada. This consultation effort will help to guide the possibility of an additional disc golf site in Barrie, to address the current demand and plan for the future.

The City is asking for community feedback on a proposed concept for a new disc golf course in the Bayview Drive (Park Place) area. Feedback is needed to determine the level of interest in adding a course at this location.

CONCEPT OVERVIEW:Location: Bayview West Natural Area

Size: 9 hectares (approx. 22 acres)

Existing Use: Recreational Trails (zoned Open Space)

Proposed Use: Add 9-Hole Disc Golf Course, re-align some recreational trail segments to avoid fairway conflicts.

Environmental Elements: Maximize tree preservation, selective tree removals in fairways and new trail segments, replacement tree planting to offset removals, minimize impact on watercourse through designated crossing (Concept A) or avoidance (Concept B), install stairs on trail section with steep slope to prevent erosion (T4), all subject to Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority review.

Proposed Parking: Existing triangle-shaped parking north side of Concert Way, subject to Joint-Use Agreement with neighbouring commercial property.

Nearest major intersection: Bayview Drive and Mapleview Drive East.

Background

On March 27, 2024, Barrie City Council approved a motion that directed Parks Planning staff to undertake a study to investigate the feasibility, needs, and costs of developing a new nine-hole disc golf course on the City-owned land adjacent to Park Place that includes public and disc golf community consultation, with a report back on the results of the investigation to the Infrastructure and Community Investment Committee by November 2024. As part of this motion, staff will also investigate the feasibility of updating the Parks Strategic Plan in 2025 with related costing and report back on the results of the investigation to General Committee.