Franklin opens new disc golf course in $500,000 park makeover

Franklin opened a new disc golf course as part of a more than $500,000 overhaul of its park and library complex, completing the project on July 1. The finished site now folds disc golf into a wider set of amenities that includes a musical playground, outdoor fitness equipment and a refreshed public gathering space.

The project was backed by ACE funds and support from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, the Franklin County Community Foundation and Friends of the Franklin Public Library. Franklin was awarded the money in 2024 through the Rural Community Recovery Program grant, which is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. The renovation also added an outdoor patio next to the library, a new shelter and gazebo, and a new park shelter and restroom building in Franklin City Park.

Mayor Margaret Siel said the city felt blessed to receive the grant support and was thrilled with the finished project. City leaders framed the upgrade as a chance to bring more activity to the park, and they said they were excited to see families using the space during the holiday week. That matters for disc golf because the course is not sitting off by itself as a specialty install. It is embedded in a park designed to draw foot traffic, casual visitors and repeat use.

UDisc lists Franklin City Park’s course as free to play. The platform says Franklin now has one disc golf course and ranks the city 69th in Nebraska for disc golf. That gives the town a small but concrete foothold in a sport that often grows fastest when courses land inside everyday public spaces instead of waiting for a dedicated complex.

The Franklin Public Library, at 1502 P St. in Franklin, adds to that setup as a nearby anchor for families and younger players. Library programming already points to a space built for more than a single visit, and the new course gives kids, first-timers and league players another reason to return. In a town this size, a disc golf loop next to a library, playground and fitness equipment is not a novelty. It is a public-use feature meant to keep people moving through the park, and the city made clear it expects that to happen.