Go Ape bringing a ropes course to Byrd Park
The City’s Urban Design Committee today unanimously approved pieces of a plan by Go Ape to bring a ropes course to Byrd Park. The course would be located in the wooded area behind the Carillon.
Today the City’s Urban Design Committee unanimously approved pieces of a plan by Go Ape to bring a ropes course to Byrd Park. The course would be located in the wooded area behind the Carillon. The entire course — excepting a wooden building used for ticket sales and some fencing — would be suspended in the trees. Existing trails would be improved and would still be available for mountain biking, hiking, and dog-walking.
Go Ape has 30 courses in the UK and one in Rockville, Maryland. They’re very aware/concerned about maintaining the environment around their courses because it supports their business. The building next to the planned course at the Carillon would be constructed with “green” materials and the trees would be inspected annually by an independent arborist to keep ’em healthy.
The course can support 15 people at a time every 30 minutes, so parking needs will be pretty low; they play on sharing the nearby dog park lot. The projected cost will be 55$ for adults and 35$ for children — this is subject to change as they are still tinkering with price points. The experience will run between two and three hours.
If all pieces of the plan are approved and the course is constructed, Richmond will be the first metro/urban location for a project of this kind.
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Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
Swinging course, or slippery slope? — http://slantblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/swinging-course-or-slippery-slope.html
I believe that this should go elsewhere–NOT in Byrd Park. The area chose is the only little retreat of natural forest in the entire park. It is frequented by deer and a multitude of bird. It is a pleasure to walk in this quiet and peaceful setting. It will be RUINED by the rope course.
Stop immediately and rethink this plan. NOT HERE Please, NOT HERE!
Sharon HIll
hi everybody,
I believe that this company should find some private land to develop for this course. I am fundamentally opposed to the use of public park land for private gain. This course does not belong in Byrd Park or any other Richmond Park.
Richmond does not have adequate park land per capita as it is. And it certainly has very very limited undeveloped park land. This area is home to trout lily in the spring and we need to conserve this native plant by conserving its habitat.
I urge all neighbors, park advocates and others to consider this simple idea: public parks should be preserved for the public.
best regards,
Suzanne Keller
The”Go Ape” is for the few not the whole. Even though they say people
can still hike,bike etc., all of the park belongs to the city and her
citizens, free of charge. No one has yet asked the birds, animals,
or trees and plants what they think…..
Public parks provide a wealth of entertainment free of charge to all.
Usually Go Ape sets their sites on larger posits of land, why Byrd
Park? And why would Mr. Byron Marshall assitant to Mayor Jones
allow this?