FAQs

A typical community disc golf course features a mix of open fairways and wooded holes that seamlessly blend into the natural landscape. Each hole has a metal target known as a basket and a tee pad to throw from. There is signage to direct play and provide information to users of the space. You can watch a video on this page to get a better idea of what a course looks like. 

Areas in the space that were previously inaccessible would have trailways and walkable paths to play disc golf on. Underbrush and dead trees would be removed to allow mature growth trees to flourish.

Construction of the course is estimated to take approximately three weeks. During that time users of the space may see or hear mulching or cutting machinery like a skidsteer or small excavator. There would also be personnel cutting and pruning by hand and installation of signage, baskets, and tee pads. Normal use of the space by walkers and bikers would see little impact during that time.

The primary type of vegetation that would be removed includes undergrowth like alder bushes and deadfall trees. The goal of disc golf development in a course like this is to remove as little mature growth forest as possible. No hardwood tree would be removed. The project would adhere to the arborist standards required by the City of St. John’s and the forestry techniques used in construction. In addition, Disc Golf NL has hired a course designer with a background in forestry to ensure the course would lead to a healthier forest when completed.

Existing trails used for these activities would not be impacted and those activities would carry on as usual. The disc golf course will increase accessibility for these activities in the area by creating new trails and pathways for users. New signage would alert all users to the shared use nature of the space to ensure everyone can enjoy it safely.

The space near McNiven Park was chosen for its adjacency to existing recreational infrastructure, walkable access to growing neighbourhoods, and for the landscape that provides an excellent canvas for a disc golf course design.

It's a combination of city-owned and Pippy Park land and lease agreements would be required. 

Proposed equipment to be used, including all equipment, attachments, and machinery:

• Case CX 145C Excavator (or similar) with bucket or 40” mulching head attachment
• Caterpillar 262D (or similar) skid steer with bucket attachment
• Light duty gas powered chainsaws and trimming tools
• Hand tools such as saws, shovels, pruning shears, and post hole diggers
• Wheel barrels and tampers
• ATV and trailer

The largest piece of equipment that the subcontractor has listed is the Excavator. This model is quite compact in comparison to what you might see on a typical jobsite. See description from the manufacturer:

The Confederation Hill Disc Golf Course in St. John’s has seen approximately 1700 unique users and 35,000 free rounds of disc golf played in three years.

There are now six public courses in the province that have been built in the last three years with an estimated 500+ monthly users across all courses.

Disc golf courses require little maintenance over their lifetime. A volunteer organization would oversee the care of the McNiven Park Disc Golf Course. Some types of maintenance you may see being performed would be trail maintenance and enhancement, tree pruning, grass cutting, and garbage pick up.

A community disc golf course offers a free recreation activity accessible to users of all ages and abilities. A course also offers a place for community groups to host events and be active. Courses in NL are being used by school programs and community groups like Scouts, Special Olympics, the Vera Perlin Society and by workplaces for healthy team building activities.