Lombard--New Policy for Events & League

[CEValkyrie]

The Lombard Park District has worked hard in the past to accommodate a
variety of Disc Golf activities utilizing our Parks.  Despite our
attempts to work with these events, we have discovered that renters have
not acted in good faith and have collected fees, gambled, conducted cash
payouts and shown a general disrespect for our facilities.  Many of
these actions are a direct violation of Park District Policy.  Beginning
today, the Lombard Park District will no longer rent its facilities for
disc golf.  Only activities directly sponsored and administrated by the
Park District will be conducted at our disc golf courses. 



Any unauthorized use by organized groups will be asked to leave and can
be ticketed.



Our intention is not to rid the park district of disc golf, but rather
better regulate the activities held within our parks, so as to be sure
all Park District policies and procedures are being followed.  If you
should have any further questions, please contact me at 630-953-6102.



Thank you for your cooperation.



Greg Hooper, CPRP
Program Manager/Athletics
Lombard Park District
820 S. Finley
Lombard, IL 60148
630-953-6102
FAX 630-620-0762
ghooper@lombardparks.com
www.lombardparks.com <http://www.lombardparks.com/>

[roman]

Wow, does that include leagues too? Those kinds of rules can just about kill the course.

[Bruce Brakel]

In my experience, these kinds of things flare up and dye down like grease fires.  Cash leagues are banned at [censored] and [deleted] and they run them every week at both parks.  They just don't tell anybody who is not already a player. 

When you have someone in charge who is this tightly wired and ready to fly off the handle on rumor and misinformation, you have someone who does not have all the skills necessary for the job.  In a year or two he'll be replaced by someone who does have the skills for the job and things will change. 

There hasn't been a tournament at [censored] for three or four years and it is unarguably a world class course.  The nut job running that park just retired.  Perhaps the new guy will wonder why they don't have  tournaments and things will change. 

Anybody who has ever been to an IOS knows that there is no gambling at our tournaments.  A lot of tournaments have raffles, drawings, bucket games -- we don't do any of that.  We play disc golf by PDGA rules.  I forget how many tournaments we've run now, but there's never been any illegal gambling at anything we do in Illinois. 

Do we collect fees?  I should think so.  I only know of one free PDGA tournament of the thousand or so that are held every year.  And this year we are going to pre-reg only.  So obviously this guy is clueless.  Eventually he will find his true level of incompetence in some higher office and things will go back to normal. 

[CEValkyrie]

Wow, does that include leagues too? Those kinds of rules can just about kill the course.

After looking at that e-mail i'd assume that includes league too.

It's unfortunate.

[Stan the Blue Man]

So my question is if that is the policy how come the Kamms ran a tourney last week at lombard if it is against the policy

[Jon Brakel]

We all got the e-mail today so I assume the policy starts today.

[Chainmeister]

The e-mail makes some false and disparaging comments about IOS. I strongly urge an official response to point out the errors similar to Bruce's post(without any surmise about the competence of the park officials). You do not expect policy to change and you will accept that. However, you should not accept the characerization of your event for one second.

And yeah, thanks to this crap league will now be an underground activity as it surely violates this policy.

[CEValkyrie]

The e-mail makes some false and disparaging comments about IOS. I strongly urge an official response to point out the errors similar to Bruce's post(without any surmise about the competence of the park officials). You do not expect policy to change and you will accept that. However, you should not accept the characerization of your event for one second.

And yeah, thanks to this crap league will now be an underground activity as it surely violates this policy.

Dave,

   From that e-mail I am not sure what is directed at the IOS or other events/leagues that have taken place there.

I am not going to waste my time battling a park district that makes the rules up as they go. It was as easy and an e-mail getting permission to run an event to this club can run an event to only LPD sponsored events. Very odd.

[dana]

Side note: they are hiring an Athletic Supervisor right now.

[Tom McManus]

The e-mail makes some false and disparaging comments about IOS. I strongly urge an official response to point out the errors similar to Bruce's post(without any surmise about the competence of the park officials). You do not expect policy to change and you will accept that. However, you should not accept the characerization of your event for one second.

And yeah, thanks to this crap league will now be an underground activity as it surely violates this policy.

I don't see anywhere that the IOS is directly mentioned, and wouldn't assume that this is the event that is being singled out.

[Dan Michler]

It was as easy and an e-mail getting permission to run an event to this club can run an event to only LPD sponsored events. Very odd.

I think Brett was too jacked about the big Illini victory last night when he wrote this sentence.

[duain]

the whole situation sucks, but i never really liked lombard anyways(trying to putt and softball coach yells gogogo=putt hits ground)  . and i wont play any tournaments there unless its an ios. just my thoughts.        peace duain

[jack]

Wow, does that include leagues too? Those kinds of rules can just about kill the course.

I take it to mean no leagues, but I'll make some calls this weekend and find out for sure. I know everyone is really bummed about the IOS having to move, but I'm much more saddened at the way the Kamms have stabbed everyone in the back. I'm talking about not only the IOS crew but also the league regulars (who do NOT trash the course, by the way) and people like Steve Matul, Bob Ryan, and Bill Keel who have dedicated their time and money to improve the course. To my knowledge, the Kamms have never done anything positive for the course if it wouldn't directly benefit them financially. What does that tell you? As tempted as I am to just bash the hell out of the Kamms right now, I know that won't do any good. This whole situtation just makes me sad and angry, and I hope it's a long time before I see either Mike or Kathy.

[jack]

I strongly urge an official response to point out the errors similar to Bruce's post(without any surmise about the competence of the park officials). You do not expect policy to change and you will accept that. However, you should not accept the characerization of your event for one second.

Let me know if the IOS team plans on doing this. I'd be more than happy to draft a letter on behalf of the league members.

[Chainmeister]

The e-mail makes some false and disparaging comments about IOS. I strongly urge an official response to point out the errors similar to Bruce's post(without any surmise about the competence of the park officials). You do not expect policy to change and you will accept that. However, you should not accept the characerization of your event for one second.

And yeah, thanks to this crap league will now be an underground activity as it surely violates this policy.

I don't see anywhere that the IOS is directly mentioned, and wouldn't assume that this is the event that is being singled out.

No. Not directly mentioned.  Now tell me.  How many "renters" held disc golf events at the Park.  Jason, IOS and who else?  Its a small list. The implication is clear and should be removed.  Jason, too, should respond if he feels his hands are clean.  Even if IOS or anybody else was not directly accused they need to remove the implication. Set the record straight, "It aint us!"

[CEValkyrie]

I am really disgusted with what has gone down. I really have nothing nice to say about the individuals that got this ball rolling. Though I don't like the Lombard Park District's decision I don't blame them for taking some type of action. When they are fed a bunch of crap they had to react if they think there are negative things taking place in the park.

It is unfortanate for the local league players and tournament crew that MM is pretty much gone from competitve play. Sad, really sad!

This is the result from "so called promoters" of the game. Get a clue!

[Dan Michler]

I agree this is very sad for disc golf.  Think how much the game has grown in that area in the past several years.  I think this growth can be largely attributed to the weekly leagues and the yearly IOS tournament that brought in over 200 players per weekend.  How anybody thinks this is helping disc golf is beyond me.

My only explanation is the ignorance of the parties involved.  Anybody that has played a Kamm event recently knows they are not exactly in touch with the game these days (i.e. at kirkland they clarified the PDGA OB rule which according to Mike is 'if your disc is touching any part of OB, your lie is considered OB').  And obviously the Park District has no clue on what goes on at a successful league or tournament.

[Arok]

That's some weak shit right there.

I'm bummed that it even came to this.

[Jon Brakel]

I will be sending a letter of response on behalf of the IOS in order to clarify some of the parts of his letter. One thing that I will ask on behalf of everyone that reads this forum and plays that course is what is meant by "organized". Is it organized if 4 guys e-mail each other and make arrangements to meet there on Tuesday at 2pm? How about if someone posts on the forum if anyone wants to play a round at Maddisen Meadows on Sunday at noon and 20 guys show up?

It also says that the "use" will be ticketed. You can't ticket "use" so I'll ask him who will be ticketed. The organizer or the participants or all and what they will be ticketed for.

The rest of my letter will be to address the fact that there have been no complaints about ANY IOS event and that I'd like to know what events have broken the rules.

[skipache]

I am going to the Park District on Tuesday and will see if i can glean some more information...