Not everyone got what they wanted, and not everyone, most likely, left the room happy.

In other words, folks had to compromise.

The board of commissioners for the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park &Recreation District recently gave the go-ahead for a nine-hole disc golf course to be installed at Battle Point Park.

It was a tough decision for commissioners, with proponents and opponents of the proposal passionately pursuing “yes” or “no” votes from park board members.

Some of the neighbors of Battle Point Park said installing the disc golf course would negatively impact the character of the park, and warned park officials of potential safety issues between golfers chucking hard plastic discs through the air while seniors, children and others use the park trails and playfields. Some said the course should go somewhere else, and that the park would be ruined for the majority of its users for the sake of a small minority. Traffic would also get worse, others warned.

Others said the park board’s decision was rushed, and should have been set aside for more study.

The notion of a disc golf course at Battle Point Park is nothing new, however, and has been talked about for years.

Supporters of the golf course have noted that the sport is a low-cost, non-competitive activity that attracts players of all skills and ages.

And it’s quite clear that those promoting the course have put much thought and careful planning into the proposal, and were wise to pare back their plans from an 18-hole course to nine holes.

The course should fit well on the south end of the park where it’s proposed, away from the passive-use areas on Battle Point Park’s northern end. The scale of development is also modest, with the installation of the course needing just poles, baskets and non-permanent, chip (bark) tee pads.

With their “yes” vote, park commissioners have not thrown caution to the wind. They’ve made it clear that the disc golf course will be allowed for a trial period, and if any safety issues arise that can’t be resolved, it can be taken out.