Evergreen Campsites and Resort has been a favorite destination of outdoor enthusiasts for decades, and recently, they’ve revamped an existing park attraction that’s ready to wow guests and the surrounding community –Chippy’s Whistle Punk Hollow, a nine-hole mini golf course.
Jim Button, Evergreen’s owner and the mastermind behind this project, shared the journey from conception to completion. The idea to redo the existing mini golf course started brewing years ago when Jim’s friend in Squamish, Canada, sold their park and had all their mini golf features in storage. Jim thought these features would establish a great jumping-off point for his new concept and after six years of waiting for them to decide to sell these course features, he finally acquired them and began drafting his new design.
A miniature golf course was first constructed at the resort in 1978, but over time, tree overgrowth and continual flooding made it less attractive. Jim concluded that a major overhaul was warranted. In order to minimize flooding, he dismantled the previous course, regraded the soil, and raised it by three feet to rebuild. He also added a recreation center with a basement which was able to be added thanks to the rebuilt foundation and removal of a few sites, and it currently doubles as a storage area and a tornado shelter.
Jim first commissioned the course to be designed by an architect, but the designs weren’t in line with his ideas. In an effort to produce something special, he chose to collaborate with local builders. Using a hands-on approach, Jim and his team—which included his longtime partner and team from Faulks Brothers Construction—designed the course to be low-maintenance and water-efficient. Using water from the resort’s sump pumps, a single pump controls the water circulation in the two streams and two ponds that make up the course.
With local companies handling every aspect of the building, the project was truly a communal endeavor. Every detail, from electricity to masonry and excavation, was managed by experts from neighboring communities, demonstrating Evergreen’s dedication to supporting local. October 2023 marked the start of construction, which ended by the third week of May 2024, with April and May seeing the most intense labor efforts during the construction period. Talk about an impressive turnaround!
The new mini golf course is intended to be a prominent feature of the neighborhood as well as the park. It goes well with other newly added amenities at Evergreen, like the pickleball courts, which have been busy since they opened. Adjacent to the course, the new Rec center can host story hours, craft sessions, and private events such as birthday celebrations, offering a flexible venue for guests to utilize.
And fun fact, the Canadian logging term “whistle punk” was a name given to, typically, a green kid who took the job of punking whistles. For the whistle, they packed a coil of two-strand wire from the yarder out to the bush where they were close enough to the crew to see and hear them. A “go between” alerting crews up and down a river when a log was coming or going.
Jim and his group are committed to making the campground better every day. They support making yearly investments in the resort to make sure that there are fresh additions and activities for visitors to enjoy. With a focus on modernity and excitement, Evergreen promises a unique guest experience with each visit.
The mini golf course at Chippy’s Whistle Punk Hollow is now accessible to all guests and to the general public for those who are itching to play. A visitor pass can be obtained by the general public, and while playing mini golf, all guests can create priceless memories at this charming and well-thought-out course.
