The Student Government Association is looking to build an estimated $20,000 18-hole disc golf course at Castleton University this coming spring, using leftover student activity fee funds from previous years.

Some students, however, question the large price tag on this project that the Student Government Association proposes.

“I don’t know what the point of that would be, like it’s not a good selling point, nobody’s going to use it, it’s super expensive, we could use the money better… significantly better,” said Castleton student Ana Haytko.

Cconstruction of the course is being contracted out since Castleton Facilities workers are already overtaxed with their current responsibilities, Director of Student Activities Matt Patry said.

“The quote that we currently have calls for more sustainable resources which increases the price,” said Student Activities Graduate Assistant Mariah O’Hara.

The money for this project is made up of leftover money from previous years dedicated to physical capital investment for the college, SGA President Tyler Anderson said.  The most recent project financially supported from this fund was the bus stop located at the back of the Campus Center.

“The only large cost is the first one, since maintenance of the course over time is very simple,” Patry said.

When some students were asked about this project they were surprised that the SGA would not have polled students first. However, SGA officials said this idea did not start out as an internal decision by the board. It was first brought to Patry by a group of students last year, they said.

"I had no idea that they were spending this much money or thinking about putting this much money into a disc golf course," said Castleton student Isaiah Lamos

But disc golf has grown in popularity recently and will enable the college to use the campus in a very different way. As a university in scenic Vermont, conserving and fostering the natural beauty of the campus is of the utmost importance, SGA officials said.

“Disc golf uses the land to the advantage of the game,” Anderson said.

Castleton is the only VSC school without a disc golf course. SGA leaders see the course as being an improvement to the campus and another way to build a stronger relationship with the community. Use of the course will be free to anyone who wants to play.

The course, planned for land on and around the athletic fields, is still in the beginning stages with many logistical obstacles to sort through before the course will be started, Patry said.