Vandals have struck at the new CDT Disc Golf Course at Riverview High School.

“The damage was discovered on Wednesday or Thursday last week. Essentially someone tried to purposely break the basket and the post that keeps it in the ground. It was bent. So we had to take the basket out entirely, and replace it,” Spokesperson John Cormier says.

Thankfully, he says they have a great group of volunteers who donate a lot of time.

“We do have some fundraising efforts that we do with league nights, and we do get some funding from the Town of Riverview. They’ve been very supportive of the course and with the sport. We also get some help from the school district as well. The students and teachers really contribute,” Cormier adds.

He says it’s the first time they’ve seen damage to this extent, and Cormier adds it’s frustrating, but they’re very forgiving.

“On social media, we are asking people, please don’t damage the equipment. But I think the damage is done just because people don’t really appreciate the time and the effort and the sport itself. If they wanted to join the community, we would still welcome them with open arms and say, ‘Hey, come enjoy the sport’. I think that they would just appreciate the course a little bit more if they tried it out.”

The first CDT Disc Golf Course in Riverview opened in 2021, and the number of players continues to grow.

“We’ve got courses popping up all over the place. We’re hitting record numbers for tournaments that are hosted in the area. People travel from all over to come to see what we have put together. People come to league nights to meet new people. We always have lots of people come to learn the sport when we put on teach and plays,” Cormier says.

Players range in age from as young as six or seven years old to in their mid-80s.

If you’re not familiar with Disc Golf, it is exactly as it sounds. It is golf using discs instead of balls, and the goal is to get them into a basket instead of a hole.

“It’s a sport that you can enjoy at any level, whether it’s just recreationally or competitively. And I strongly encourage everyone to try it out.”

The two courses in Riverview are located at Claude D Taylor School and Riverview High School.