Dirt is moving and changes are happening at Northeast Park for disc golfers.

Players will notice right away an extra hazard just in front of the 18th hole where a mound of dirt lies. The dirt is from a project to install modified French drains to improve drainage in the park. After wet weather, the front of the park had issues getting dry.

“Disc golfers will be able to get to that north end of the park without having to walk through the mud,” Parks and Recreation Director Chad Shoemaker told Park Board members at their regular monthly meeting on Monday, Nov. 6.

Currently, the drains are showing and Shoemaker was asked if that would be a permanent feature. He said eventually grass will grow over the drains but that’s not exactly what they want.

“You won’t see it in the long run but the longer you see it the better it will work,” Shoemaker said.

Shoemaker said the drain project was needed not only for disc players but it’s also going to help his staff with mowing of the property. He said a lot of work had to be done on the slope.

“As much water as we have comes into that area from the surrounding neighborhood when it rains hard and it’s a basin,” Shoemaker said.

There have been other improvements as well such as a new culvert placement on Hole 11 that allows players to get across without having to jump the waterway. Shoemaker said other improvements have been made like an additional water hazard and more are still coming. Soon the park will have new basket placements.

Shoemaker said disc golfers have one man to thank for getting the project moving forward. He said with staffing shortages the project would be a lot further behind if it wasn’t for his supervisor Brad Helling. Shoemaker said if you see him tell him “Thanks.”

“In addition to managing the staff, he went down there every day with some equipment and worked on it a little bit every day because we didn’t have anybody else to do it,” Shoemaker said. “Kudos to him.”