A local citizen, Teige Venemon, stood before the Chewelah City Council during the April 15 meeting and shared concerns about the condition of the frisbee golf course located in Peye Creek Park in the northwest area of the city. He stated that this was the third year he had spoken at council meetings asking for greater focus on maintaining the course.
In 2018, the city of Chewelah approved and built a frisbee golf course in the Peye Creek Park area. Upon its completion, individuals enjoyed a sport that has continued to gain popularity. In recent years, however, the course has seen a decline in both use and maintenance.
Disc golf, sometimes referred to as frisbee golf, can be a low-cost sport where players throw a disc at a target or basket. Courses often contain 9–18 holes and are played very similarly to golf, with similar rules. Typically, courses include pads or signs at the beginning of each hole to indicate the tee box, as well as the target’s location, par descriptions, out-of-bounds areas, or other hazards.
The park is located at the end of N. Kruger Street where it meets W. North Avenue.
In an interview with one of the founders of the course, he shared that he and his brothers were driving once a week to Farragut State Park to take their mother to play. She had begun to love playing, and it was an excellent activity that they could all participate in although she was wheelchair bound.
They began planning and looking for an opportunity to potentially bring a frisbee golf course to the Chewelah Valley. After putting together a proposal, they presented it to the mayor as well as the city council at the time. It was approved and thought that it would be a great park activity for the community to have. The mayor at the time recommended Peye Creek Park for the location, as it was city land and considered a suitable site for such an activity.
City Councilwoman Sharon Ludwig was on the council when the frisbee golf course was approved. She shared that the council thought it would get great use, and that it was an unusual project for Chewelah to participate in. At the time of the original proposal, the council supported the decision and approved it because “it was something that a lot of people are involved in, and that we were assured that the city wouldn’t have to maintain it. I think those two things really counted in,” stated Ludwig.
Early in the course’s use, maintenance was largely handled by volunteers, including one of the original founders, who regularly kept the course mowed and playable. He shared that he “mowed it for two or three years, even after my mom died. And that was the whole reason we did it, was because, you know, it was for her. And my brother would come over and help me mow it.”
Ludwig also brought up concerns about its maintenance during the May 6 city council meeting following Venemon’s comments at the April 15 meeting.
In an interview with Venemon, he shared that he has been living in Chewelah for about six years and did not know about the course or that it even existed for the first couple of years. After discovering it more recently, he hoped to use it regularly and eventually bring his wife along with him.
He expressed frustration over having a park with all the equipment already in place, while needing the grass to be mowed more regularly. When asked what he wanted the public to know about the course, he said, “It’s got permanent baskets.” He noted that “there’s pads for every hole that you can stand on,” adding, “It’s already there. Why can’t we use them? Why can’t we take care of them? It might give people a reason to come,” Venemon explained.
Concerns were also raised about the current condition of the course, including tall grass, gopher holes, and large burrs that become attached to clothing when walking through the area. He stated that the conditions make it difficult to use the course and prevent him from bringing his wife because of the inability to clearly see the ground.
When the course was originally established, one of the founders regularly maintained it and kept it groomed for easier and more enjoyable use. He shared during the interview that the agreement between him and the city was informal. When asked, “Did you expect the city would eventually just take over the maintenance?” he responded, “Yes. It would take them four hours, maybe once a month,” he explained.
In an email from the city, it was shared that “there are no known issues regarding the course. The baskets and fairways are fully usable and accessible.” The email further explained the level of maintenance the city is able to provide for the course. “If needed, the city will mow the course twice a year, as originally established, ensuring the fairways remain clear and usable for disc golf. This level of maintenance is the highest that can be provided with the available resources. This has not previously been necessary due to the work of volunteer groups,” the city stated.
Despite differing opinions regarding maintenance, those interviewed agreed that a community activity or event at the course could help bring attention to it and encourage greater public use.
During a visit to the course, most if not all fairways contained tall grass, making it difficult to find the tee boxes. There was no clear signage for each hole. It appeared that signs may have been posted originally at the establishment of the course, but due to natural factors there were no visible signs indicating several elements of each hole.
Tall grass also made it difficult to walk the course and move between tee boxes. At the time of the visit, there were no players present, and no one was on the course for any reason. Without clear signs and other simple elements, the course was confusing and made it difficult to understand the full layout.
Overall, while the disc golf course remains in place and technically usable, differing accounts regarding maintenance and responsibility continue to leave its long-term upkeep unclear.