By KALIN KROHE
Panhandle Post

The Alliance City Council recently approved ACE funding to the Alliance Disc Golf Committee for the completion of the new 18 hole disc golf course during the July 2 meeting. The current Rolling Prairie Disc Golf Course located at Laing Lake is 9 holes.

The current course at Laing Lake was installed with the help of Dave Kimmel and his family along with many generous Alliance community sponsors in 1998.

To date $18, 305 has been raised by the Alliance Disc Golf Committee. The projected cost for the new course is between $25,000 – $28,000.

The current committee consists of Robbie Cerv, Kalin Krohe, Omar Escamilla, Eric Anderson, and Evan Mehne. Others who have helped with the committee include: Marcus Hjersman, Ian Nelson, Don Sulzbach, and Jesse Dutton.

Alliance councilman Earl Jones had concerns with the ACE funding, but thinks the new 18 hole disc golf course will be great for Alliance.

“Pillars for the Park people were here. They’ve raised over $300,000. They asked for $18,000 for planning. We were out and out rude to those people at that meeting that night telling them that we shouldn’t use any public money. This is another program that we’re asked to fund raise to do an improvement at the park. It’s the same thing. The Dog Park last year also asked for help matching funds to improve entrances. They were also told that we are not spending money. I see no difference between these projects. I really like the disc golf idea, and I like idea of having an 18 hole course, but fair is fair,” Jones said.

Alliance City Manger Jeff Sprock said once the 18 hole disc golf course is completed it will require no maintenance by city staff.

“The Pillars project and the Dog Park requires substantial staff time in order to maintain those. This project will not. This project was brought to us in 2017. It will allow Shana Brown [Cultural and Leisure Services Director] to be able to move forward and do some planting of trees and other work that had been postponed until the disc golf course gets done.” said Sprock.

Sprock added the reason the city gets ACE money is for projects like this that promote community betterment.

Councilwoman Ryan Reynolds said, “I agree with helping all these projects, but it looks to me like putting this ACE money towards the disc golf course finishes that project off. If we put it towards the Pillars, which I definitely want to see get finished…it’s still not getting close to the funding needs.”

City of Alliance Clerk Linda Jines said the Park and Tree Board did approve the disc golf project years ago.

“It was intended to go into our funding and it did get overlooked. This would have normally gone into standard maintenance because it’s an existing amenity to a current park and it’s an enhancement from a 9 hole to an 18 hole. For the Pillars for the Park funding for the engineering…that agreement had been made. The reason I think council is holding them to an agreement…that they made on their own behalf that the engineering expense would be paid by them and not the city,” Jines said.

Alliance Mayor Mike Dafney was not in his current position when both the Pillars for the Park and Alliance Disc Golf Committee started their projects.

“I do agree with Earl. I think they were treated pretty shabbily from what I read. I will say this… since I wasn’t on board I don’t feel like I have to be held to that. This Pillars for the Park thing has gotten so much public support. If the Pillars need help I’m going to give it to them,” Dafney said.

Dafney did say he is also supporting the new disc golf course.

Councilman Brian Mischnick said, “The other thing that makes this project a little different is the fact that there is going to be tournaments and things like that will help bring economic benefit to the community.”

The new 18 hole disc golf course will be designed by a professional disc golfer and course designer that plays around the world. It will be the first course of its kind in the Panhandle.

“There are many advantages to having a professional design a disc golf course. Putting a professional disc golf name on the course design will draw in outsiders to events hosted in Alliance and will draw in disc golfers from out of town who are traveling through.  A professional course designer considers safety when designing and knows how to successfully incorporate a disc golf course into a multi use park. A professional designer is able to design a challenging course that makes a disc golfer use a variety of different throwing styles. They design with good course flow in mind so that there is a less likelihood of player backups on holes during events. Along with the professional design comes top of the line disc golf baskets, signage, and course promotion through Dynamic Discs online and through social media,” Alliance Disc Golf Committee member Robbie Cerv said.

“It’s really amazing to see how far our committee has come throughout the years. We’ve all put a lot of hard work into it and making it a reality for not only Alliance, and western Nebraska, but the state of Nebraska. The new course will utilize many areas of Laing Lake Park that have never been used. We want to thank everyone that has helped make this dream come true,” said Committee member Kalin Krohe.

In other business council:

• Accepted a donation from Panhandle Public Health for a portable radar speed sign on Flack Avenue near the intersection of 10th Street. This will assist in slowing traffic for pedestrian safety.
• Approved a resolution that authorizes the Municipality Financial Agreement with the Nebraska Department of Transportation for improvements to a portion of State Highway N-2. The project includes the resurfacing of 3rd Street from Cody Avenue to east of the overpass.
• Accepted a donation from the family of Bernard “Bernie” Girard and Betty Girard. They are donating a memorial bench for placement near the Central Park fountain.You can hear full council audio below.

You can listen to city council audio below.