It’s going to aesthetically ruin the park.”

Rosemary Davidson, Frank Coelho Drive

I don’t think 18 baskets and 18 posts are going to destroy the beauty of Glen Park.”

Town Council President Keith Hamilton

PORTSMOUTH — After more than 90 minutes of debate, the Portsmouth Town Council voted 4-3 Monday night to approve an 18-hole disc golf course at Glen Park, giving the project a two-year probationary period to gauge its impact.

The close decision capped months of discussion by the town’s Parks and Recreation Committee over whether Glen Park, long prized for its quiet fields and vistas, should host the town’s first disc golf facility. Council member Sondra Blank introduced the probationary measure, which passed with support from Council President Keith Hamilton and members Juan Carlos Payero and Sharlene Patton. Vice President David Gleason and members Mary McDowell and David Reise voted against.

Revised layouts

The course was proposed by residents Roderick Dubay and Dan Maher, who presented new layouts requested by the council last month.

The goals, Dubay said, were to “minimize chances of errant discs going into the road,” “avoid traversal over stone walls,” “remove baskets from the fields by the Glen Manor House,” “work with residents about their concerns,” and “utilize different fields to achieve the above.”

Dubay stressed that the project is not a commercial enterprise. “No one person is going to making money off this other than the town,” he said. “A disc golf course is not permanent. They can be easily removed from the ground, and grass seed put there like it was never there before.”

He added that revenue could help fix property issues already identified at the Glen, including tree maintenance, bridge repairs, erosion near a proposed hole, and even bathroom upgrades. “All the revenue that we can get on the disc golf course can fix all these problems at the Glen,” Dubay said. “With 18 holes, we’re going to get the leagues we want.”

Maher walked the council through a new 18-hole design in which “hole 1 (is) arranged to eliminate throws toward road,” three holes were removed from the Glen Manor fields, one hole was shifted out of the Glen Manor woods, and two holes came out of the Sacred Heart field. He also reoriented multiple holes “to utilize existing stone wall breaks and avoid walking paths.”

Maher also displayed an alternative nine-hole option with adjustments around existing stone walls, though the council ultimately approved the 18-hole plan.

Supporters highlight benefits

Public comment drew both strong support and sharp opposition.

David Fiorillo, chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee, noted his board endorsed the project in May. “The only two houses that can actually see any holes is (for) holes 1 and 2,” he said. “We think it’s a great asset for the town.”

Reed Valant of Dartmouth, Mass. said the project could bring outside visitors. “We do not have a lot of disc golf courses in this area,” he said. “If we’re not using parks for recreational purposes, then what are they really for?”

Jim Kitzmiller, a Parks and Recreation Committee member, said, “I see this as nothing but opportunity. I think it’s a great way to highlight our beautiful green spaces.”

Leslie Yates of Windstone Drive said she grew up on Glen Road and has seen disc golf elsewhere. “The open space would not disappear with a new sport parked in the park,” she said. “It’s a great way to bring families together.”

Steven MacDonald of Old Mill Lane linked the course to keeping younger residents in town. “All four of them have moved, and they all moved because they said, ‘Dad, this place is boring. There’s nothing to do,’” he said of his children.

Matt Walker of Anthony Road said the activity is ideal for all ages. "It’s for anybody who wants to try it and get outside and play,” he said.

Henry Cotta of West Passage Drive spoke to the culture of the sport. “Undeniably the best people out there,” he said. “They are extremely friendly.”

Preservation, safety

Longtime resident Rosemary Davidson recalled campaigning for the town’s purchase of the Glen in the 1970s. She said, “I don’t have anything against disc golf … but I do have a problem with all of those structures around the park. It’s going to aesthetically ruin the park. It’s not only those structures, there’s a tee before them. If you’ve got 18 holes, you’ve got 36 things within that park. Glen Park is not that big.”

Davidson said she also didn’t like “the idea of strangers walking through those woods.” Glen Farm, not Glen Park, was designated for recreation and would be better suited, she added.

Connie Harding of the Conservation Commission said the Glen and its historical landscapes act as a “time capsule” for Portsmouth history. “The baskets may not be obtrusive, but it’s just opening it up to more and more and more instead of having these beautiful vistas,” she said.

The commission also submitted a letter of objection, warning against rushing into the project.

Debra Faber was the lone member of the Parks and Recreation Committee to speak out against the project Monday night, even though Fiorillo later noted Faber had made the initial motion for the panel to approve the project.

“I see disc golf as an invasion with the regular leagues and tournaments collectively with the activities already placed at Glen Park. The change then becomes land use and not open space, in my judgment,” she said.

Herrick Shinn cited his risk management background in raising “grave concerns about traffic impact.”

Divided council

On the council itself, concerns varied.

Mary McDowell said she worried about maintenance costs and the strain on town staffing. “We presently are not able to mow our properties without the help of a landscaping company at the tune of $30,000,” she said. “How can we add more work for them at this point?”

David Gleason feared Glen Park would lose its tranquility. “Personally, I don’t think it belongs at Glen Park,” he said. “I think this is a grandiose concept that’s going to bite us in the butt.”

Juan Carlos Payero, however, pushed for action. “We just continuously kick an idea down the road,” he said. “When is this council actually going to take action on anything?”

Hamilton said disc golf could coexist with other park uses. “It is situated in a way that it doesn’t interfere with any other activities in the park. People can still walk their dogs, people can still hike, people can still sit and do yoga,” he said. “I don’t think 18 baskets and 18 posts are going to destroy the beauty of Glen Park.”

What’s next

Maher said it could take six months just to acquire the equipment once funds are raised, meaning construction might not begin until next year.

Hamilton said he supported the trial approach: “It’s a beautiful piece of property that should be enjoyed by as many people as possible.”

The probationary course is expected to move forward in spring 2025.