For years, members of the public, students, and faculty played disc golf on Central Oregon Community College’s Bend campus. Then, in the fall of 2015, COCC built its Wickiup Hall dorms on top of the former disc golf course.
When Michael LaLonde, COCC’s vice president of finance and operations, moved to Bend 19 years ago, he played disc golf with his family on the COCC course.
“It was just good free fun for everyone that wanted to play,” said LaLonde.
Since taking on his role at COCC about a year ago, LaLonde has wanted to put in a new disc golf course. He worked with the Central Oregon Disc Golf Club to brainstorm a plan to fit a new course on underused parts of campus. On May 8, the COCC board of directors approved the plan and its estimated cost of $18,000.
A nine-basket course will be situated between the athletic field, Barber Library, and Wickiup Hall, with hopes of adding nine more baskets in the future. The course is designed to work around the pre-existing nature and to co-exist with the other activities that occur there, like hiking, biking and dog-walking.
The proposed course raised some concerns among board members, who wondered if it would be disruptive or bring litter to campus. LaLonde said signs will clearly prohibit drinking, smoking, dogs or littering. CODGC has offered to help publicize and enforce the rules.
Cory Darling, COCC’s director of campus safety and emergency management, showed support and interest in the course.
“Anytime we can have some type of program where our college community can get out, you know, experience the outdoors and engage in a social game of sorts, it’s beneficial,” said Darling. “It helps with relieving stress and improving attitude, and kind of overall being.”
With construction slated to begin in early June, it should be finished and open to the public by mid July.
