The City of Westminster redesignated public land within City Park to protect and preserve the recently completed Big Dry Creek streambank restoration and pollinator highway project, add nearly four acres to the City’s Open Space program, and expand the City Park disc golf course from its current 9-hole layout to a full 18 holes.
The decision, approved during the July 13 City Council meeting, redesignates 20 acres of nearby open space as park land and 24 acres of park land as open space. This results in the addition of four acres to the City’s existing 3,800 acres of Open Space, while realigning parcels to their best possible uses.
Through this innovative land redesignation, Westminster is not only expanding access to disc golf, but also protecting valuable native habitat for pollinators along Big Dry Creek as Open Space.
Meanwhile, the newly designated park land is adjacent to the current 9-hole disc golf layout and will allow the course to expand while ensuring park facilities do not encroach on environmentally sensitive areas.
The City continues to be a leader in protecting green space and expanding access to outdoor amenities. This action also fulfills the City’s commitment to reinstalling a complete disc golf course after the original 18-hole layout was temporarily removed to restore the Big Dry Creek streambank and riparian habitat.
Disc Golf Returns to City Park with Support from Disc Golf Community
The original course, opened in 2003, had long been a regional favorite before the City Park Sewer Interceptor Project and the Big Dry Creek Streambank Restoration Project required its removal in 2021. The timing was especially difficult for local players, as disc golf participation surged nationwide when residents sought socially distanced outdoor recreation.
Blake Ramsey, Parks Superintendent for the City of Westminster, said the conclusion of restoration work created an opportunity to bring disc golf back to City Park, and the land redesignation is a win-win for the City’s Open Space program, the environment, and the community.
“It’s a good exchange,” Ramsey said. “This is really prime habitat. It’s a balanced ecosystem, and a good example of what open space can be. Especially with the disc golf course going in here, it made perfect sense to swap those two parcels so the park adjoins park, and open space adjoins open space.”
The current 9-hole layout opened in 2025 and includes new concrete tee pads and dual long and short baskets on most holes. Community feedback and early reviews on UDisc highlight the quality of the course’s large tee pads and its untapped potential now that expansion is underway.
The City invited the Mile High Disc Golf Club to collaborate on designing the course layout and providing feedback on how to make the course more enjoyable for players.
MHDGC president Joel Chirhart said community members were eager for the course’s return.
“Cities sometimes just take their park land and do it themselves or maybe hire an outside consultant, rather than asking their community of disc golfers for their input,” Chirhart said. “I think it’s awesome that disc golfers in this community have some real ownership of this course.”
Ramsey said disc golfers can expect a complete refresh of course infrastructure as expansion proceeds later this year, and the City collects more feedback from the community. At the top of the list already are brand new baskets and updated signage.
“We’re excited to continue making improvements as we can. Once we have more players out here, those suggestions of a bench here or a trash can there will give us a good idea of what the priorities are,” Ramsey said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, but I expect installations in the fall and everything to be ready sometime this winter.”
With the land swap approved and expansion to a full 18 holes on the horizon, Chirhart said the future is bright for the City Park Disc Golf Course.
“Once we have the full 18, it’ll be an even better amenity that people will want to play more often,” he said. “And for those that will be coming out here for the first time, have fun. You might not be an expert right away, but have fun watching the discs fly and listening to the chains.”
The Westminster City Park Disc Golf Course is located on the north side of City Park (10455 N Sheridan Boulevard). Parking lots are available and most easily accessed via 105th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard.
