City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date:  June 5, 2007

Item No.:        

Recommendation:  That the Common Council approve relocation of the City’s disc golf course to parkway land owned by Milwaukee County.

Background: The City has a disc golf course at Abendschein Community Park.  The course is frequently used by youth and adults of most ages.

During the 2007 budget process, the Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department received authorization to proceed with additional development of park facilities in the Abendschein Community Park. The additional development would require relocating some of the disc golf course onsite or entirely offsite.

The Director of Parks, Recreation & Forestry contacted Milwaukee County to inquire if they would consider allowing the City of Oak Creek to develop and maintain a disc golf course on the Oak Creek Parkway east of Howell Avenue (see enclosed correspondence and diagrams).  The Director met at the site with Milwaukee County Park representatives and they were receptive to the request.

The City also had to dismantle a very popular skate park located at the East Middle School as the school district began construction of a new middle school on that site.  While the school district has not ruled out allowing the skate park to be reinstalled at the East Middle School site, the earliest it could happen would be 2009.

At their May 10, 2007, meeting the Parks, Recreation & Forestry Commission voted to relocate the skate park to Abendschein Community Park by early 2008.  The new skate park location will be more public and visually accessible, but will require a portion of the disc golf course to be relocated.  The Commission also directed the Parks, Recreation & Forestry director to pursue obtaining authorization to develop and maintain a disc golf course at the Oak Creek Parkway.

If the relocation of the disc golf course is approved by the City and Milwaukee County, a Memorandum of Understanding addressing installation, operation and maintenance of the course would be developed for Common Council approval.

Disc golf tee signs, target baskets, waster containers, etc. will be removed from the current course and installed at the new course.  Parks employees and volunteers will install the equipment and clear access trails and fairways from tees to baskets.

Fiscal Impact:  Minimal funds needed will be taken from the Parks, Recreation & Forestry operating budget grounds maintenance account.

Prepared by: Douglas A. Schachtner Director of Parks, Recreation & Forestry	Respectfully submitted, Patrick DeGrave City Administrator
Fiscal Review by: Beverly A. Buretta, CMC City Clerk