Frisbee golf coming to Nehls Park

Scheman to donate

everything to set up course

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- They will be playing organized Frisbee golf soon at Nehls Park, thanks to the contributions of Jim Scheman of rural New Ulm.

Scheman presented his plan for installing nine wire-mesh baskets around the park and donating everything including some 300 to 400 inexpensive flying disks.

All he asked the Park and Recreation Department at the Park and Recreation Commission meeting Tuesday was that the department dig the holes for the basket standards.

"And if you don't like where they are placed, you can dig them up and move them," Scheman said.

Director Dave Bechtold told the commission he found Scheman's approach refreshing, particularly that the department could move the baskets if it wanted to.

Scheman who said he designed a similar course for Brown County's Mound Creek Park told the commission it would be easy for him to set up a course at the park "in under two weeks."

Bechtold told Scheman, "You can start tomorrow morning."

"The guys there are already playing Frisbee golf. If you would buy the baskets commercially, you would pay $300 to $350 for each one. I can have them made for about $65 each, and I'll foot the cost."

Bechtold said the course would be set back a ways from Summit Avenue to discourage players from running into the street to retrieve a flying disk. He said the disks would be in a large bin, and he agreed with Scheman that not many would be lost to theft.

"After all, how many can anyone use?" Bechtold asked. "After a while, they've got all they can use."

Scheman said the experience at Mound Creek Park has been that "more are lost than are stolen."

Bechtold said there would be very little conflict with junior baseball programs at the park.

The commission put its stamp of approval on the project by approving the cooperative agreement between the department and Scheman.

Bechtold reported that construction work on the Fairgrounds Community Center and the Senior Center expansion is "one to two weeks ahead of schedule."

Also ahead of schedule is the sales tax revenue that will pay off the bonds. Bechtold said City Treasurer Gary Gleisner reports revenue is coming in at 20 to 30 percent above projections.

Bechtold said there's also going to be an extra $100,000-$200,000 for additional furniture purchases and other nice-to-have items like acoustical panels for the performing arts theater/dining room in the Senior Center.

Reports from commissioners indicated a lot of North Park fencing needs repair and older children are using the skate park while younger kids have virtually taken over the BMX park.