Members of CPGD (Citizens for Positive Growth and Development) are reportedly walking about and asking residents how to best put Wood Field to use. 

According to reliable sources, a CPGD'er was sighted at the county courthouse with a list of a few possible alternative uses for Wood Field.  Apparently, among the options offered were a skateboard park, volleyball, and perhaps even shuffleboard court or two.

While asking neighbors to select from a list of pre-defined alternatives is a good start, the random polling process shouldn’t be used as a replacement for open meetings.

Speaking for myself, I would like CPGD to hold open meetings to consider other options before they campaign for a few particular options, and then have follow-up meetings to assure all residents have a chance to be heard. 

For example, I would like CPGD to consider developing a miniature golf course (colloquially: “goofy golf”) on Wood Field. 

I know that you are probably asking yourself,  "Goofy golf!? . . . Goofy golf?!!  What can this guy be thinking?"

But hear me out -- this would not be your ordinary, run-of-the-mill goofy golf course.

Instead of tawdry, plastic-grass "fairways" lined with concrete curbs allowing one to carom shots into the hole, this goofy golf course would look more or less, like the real thing.  It would have a real lawn for fairways, lush roughs and turf-carpeted greens.

The author and his pal photographed outside the Parra's Ranch Store Center, a popular tourist stop in Oracle Arizona

The course would also be "age restricted" --  no one over the age of 15 would be allowed to play unless accompanied by a child. 

This restriction would not only assure that Wood Field was used as Elizabeth Lambert Wood intended (to benefit of Oracle youth) but would also provide considerable value for the aging by putting them in the company of a youngster.

Of course, before the project could be considered viable, it would have to be shown that there is sufficient water of adequate quality to support a luxuriant, albeit Lilliputian, golf course.

As to water quantity, history indicates that there is probably enough.   In the old days, a hand-dug well on the property provided water to supply townsfolk, mules and other beasts of burden with sufficient liquid to replenish their precious bodily fluids.

As to water quality -- well, there may be a slight problem here. Recent history indicates that there may be some pesky unburned hydrocarbons lurking in the groundwater beneath Wood Field. 

After Oracle pioneer Elizabeth Lambert Wood bequeathed her land to Oracle's kids, the Oracle School district took it over and used it as a bus yard. Apparently there used to be tanks holding diesel fuel under Wood Field. 

In fact, concern over potential liabilities arising from possible environmental problems was one reason it took longer than normal for the Oracle Historical Society to hammer out the lease agreement for Wood Field with Pinal County. 

On the upside, since all the negotiation and legal work had been done by OHS, all CPGD had to do was simply copy the OHS language into their lease agreement with Pinal County.

But back to the main point – turning Wood Field into verdant miniature golf course for the benefit of both young and old.

All that is needed is money, political backing and a catchy name.

I would propose the facility be called the "WillowBrooke Springs Ranch Goofy Golf," or perhaps "SaddleSprings Ranch Goofy Golf," names I believe CPGD backers would favor.

As far as political backing goes, perhaps CPGD could ask supervisor Ruiz to buy an advertisement backing the project, kinda like the ad he bought for Willow Springs Ranch. 

Also, if residents don’t initiate a referendum against the WillowBrooke Springs Ranch Goofy Golf project, CPGD would probably be able to talk Robson into donating a lot of money – kinda like when Robson promised to donate $5.5 million to the county if a referendum against their SaddleBrooke Ranch project didn’t appear on the ballot.