NILES — Visitors to Stevens Park now will have the opportunity to play disc golf year round as a new 18-hole course through the wooded park opened over the weekend.

A grand opening for the course took place Saturday, with city and park officials joined by disc golfers eager to play.

Mayor Steve Mientkiewicz said this is the first disc golf course in Niles.

“It was back in 2019 we began talking about having disc golf in the parks. This is a long time coming. We originally had plans for disc golf at Waddell Park, but later decided on Stevens Park.”

He said both grant money and city funds were used for the nearly $14,000 project.

Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting, Mientkiewicz threw the first disc at station 1.

Kris Kriebel, health educator for the Trumbull County Combined Health District, said the county has worked with Niles in the past on projects that help people focus on health and wellness.

“I can see by all the people here disc golf will be popular here,” Kriebel said, noting it can be played year round.

He said this is the fourth project the health district has worked on with Niles, with the others being pickleball courts for Stevens Park, basketball courts for Kennedy Park, and fitness and exercise equipment by the walkway at Central Park apartments.

Brad Silvers of Turbo Putt Disc Golf said many people helped put the disc golf course in, noting there was a lot of digging and leaf raking.

“This is a wooded course, which many players like because it is more challenging because of the trees that create obstacles. The players learn to navigate the discs around the trees,” Silvers said.

Andy Martin of Bedford, a professional disc golf player ranked No. 1 in northeast Ohio, said he looked forward to playing on the new course.

“I am very excited about this new course. I have been to other courses that Brad has done and they are a lot of fun. Trees make the course more challenging because they are the biggest obstacle in disc golf,” Martin said.

Kenny Cox of Newton Falls said he wanted to try the new course.

“It is always nice to get to try out a new course,” he said.

Grayson Cox, 8, of Newton Falls, said he has played disc golf at other places and wanted to try this one.

Children who attended the three-hour event received free discs.

Niles Councilman James Sheely, D-3rd Ward, said “I like having the disc golf course here because it will bring more people to the park.”

He said he is pleased there are improvements at many of the city parks, including a new splash pad and playground equipment being installed at Waddell Park.

Mientkiewicz said the city may also look at a disc golf course for Waddell Park.

“Disc golf has become very popular for both adults and children and it is free,” he said.

Don Eckrote of Don’s Disc Golf Store in Mineral Ridge, said there are disc golf leagues that will want to play at the course. He said he can tell a lot of work was done to get the course installed.

“There are three traveling leagues in this area. Disc golf is the fastest growing sport in the world,” Eckrote said.

He said pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States.

Billy Marrow of Girard, who was among the players, said he was impressed by the course.

“It is a great layout with some challenging holes. Overall it is a great course,” he said..