Of course there are other things on the council's plate this week, ironically how to pay the costs for port protests (city pdf file), but there are two things that interested me: wifi and disc golf.

Almost every week this is the "What's on the city council's plate this week" review. I don't cover everything, so if you want the full rundown, read the packet and agenda yourself.

1. The city is planning on partnering with TCTV, our friendly local public tv folks, to scope out our downtown wireless fidelity project. Here is the letter from TCTV:

To: Cathie Butler, City of Olympia
From: Deborah Vinsel, TCTV
Date: March 6, 2007
RE: City WI-FI Project – DRAFT PROPOSAL

Thank you for asking TCTV to assist with the City of Olympia’s Wi-Fi project. This is an exciting opportunity to bring new technology to our residents. I see this unfolding in three phases:

Phase I – Research March 15 – June 30, 2007

TCTV will convene the WiFi Advisory Committee (W.A.C.), a diverse group consisting of 6 to 10 people who are knowledgeable about computer and internet technology, community focused, understand potential regulatory issues, and can represent the business community and the citizens of Olympia. Care will be taken to include representatives from local internet providers, educational community, technology ‘wizards’ and other interested parties. The purpose of the committee will be to provide the City Council with the information necessary to make an informed decision regarding the deployment of a WiFi system.

During this phase, the W.A.C. will research and compile information about WiFi system architecture, regulatory issues if any, emerging technology to be considered, and project models used in other communities for the construction, operation, and management of a Wi-Fi system. The Committee will also survey council members, city staff, residents, and business owners about their needs relative to this technology.

The final report will include several options to be considered, however, it will not be the role of the committee to make specific recommendations, but rather to ensure that City Council has the information it needs to move forward in the manner most appropriate to serve the citizens of Olympia.

Phase II – Develop Report and Present Findings July 1 – July 31, 2007

A report on the WAC findings from Phase I will be presented to the Council in July or August, depending on vacation schedules. The report will include options to be considered for construction and operation and examples of how other communities have managed this type of resource.

Phase III – Build It Timeline To Be Determined

Base on the Council’s decision regarding the options presented, the W.A.C. will assist the city in any manner that is appropriate to ensure successful deployment of a WiFi system.

2. Who wants to play disc golf on the Westside? I dunno, but someone does. From the city report:

Over the last few years, OPARD staff and members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) received numerous requests to create a Disc Golf park in Olympia. In 2005, a group of disc golf enthusiasts known as the South Puget Sound Disc Golf Association presented a formal proposal to PRAC requesting a portion of newly acquired park land in southeast Olympia be developed into an 18-hole disc golf course.

In response to the association’s proposal City Council requested that OPARD staff include in their 2006 work plan a disc golf facility assessment providing information on the practicality and feasibility of a public disc golf course. The intent of the document is to provide recommendations on whether or not to pursue some sort of disc golf facility and/or programming; and, options on how if at all to proceed.

OPARD staff incorporated the following steps to gather information in development of the facility assessment:

• Conducted a public meeting on July 24th to educate and learn more about disc golf. Brainstorm in small groups focused on the following:
o Need/Priority:
o Funding/Coordination
o Location Viability
o Design Considerations
o Development Cost Estimates

• Interviews with other jurisdictions that have either disc golf facilities and/or programs.

• Internet and phone research on facilities, costs issues and participation.

Using information from the public meeting, the City of Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation Comprehensive Plan, information from other jurisdictions and internet research staff developed an informative document with recommendations.

ANALYSIS AND OPTIONS:

The sport of Disc Golf was formalized in the 1970’s on the east coast of the United States. Over the past 30 years the game’s popularity has increased resulting in more than 1,300 developed disc golf courses in America. Combining Washington and Oregon there are approximately 78 courses in the northwest.

Other than accounting for the growing number of courses being built in the northwest; it is difficult to measure community need, and anticipated participation with quantifying data. The common method used by cities in Washington to measure need that justifies the development of recreational facilities is the Inter-Agency for Outdoor Recreation Committee’s (IAC) SCORP survey. This survey updated every 5 years measures participation levels in outdoor recreational activities in Washington. Neither the 2002 version, nor the survey to be conducted in 2007 has disc golf listed. This same situation existing in the early 1990’s when Olympia was considering the installation of a skateboarding facility.

Assessing the need for a disc golf facility in Olympia can subjectively be done by projecting potential community value and benefit. Based on the information given at the public meeting, on the internet, and from phone conversations it is easy to conclude that a disc golf facility would provide a level of community recreational benefit. Disc golf provides an avenue to life long fitness along with the mental and emotional benefits attributed to recreational activities. It is also easy to conclude that access to the sport will increase awareness and interest resulting in increasing levels of participation. As a side benefit, this higher level of active participation in our parks system would further promote desirable activities while diminishing the undesirable ones. Depending on the size and scope of the facility developed there could be economic benefits as well.

Being that our ability to assess real need for a disc golf facility is limited to a subjective approach of projecting community benefit, any initial commitment of resources should be small and measured.

In analyzing the expense to develop and maintain a disc golf course the only cost prohibitive element is the land needed for the course layout. Recognizing the value of land, the most cost effective and attainable approach then is to develop a public disc golf course in a current developed park site; and/or as a part of a future developed park.
In sections VIII and IX of the Olympia Disc Golf Assessment prescribes two initial steps for the City to make to incorporate disc golf into Olympia’s park system:

1. Evaluate an appropriate inclusion of the activity of disc golf in future park facility design, as a part of the 2007 Parks, Arts, and Recreation Plan update.
2. Work with local disc golf enthusiasts on a one year pilot course at Yauger Park.