Proposed Rope Course Concerns Residents

Bob Allen, the city’s Director of Property and Concessions Management in the Parks and Recreation Department, met with members of the community to discuss the proposed ropes course that would be installed in the Wissahickon Park near the intersection of Henry and Wigard Avenue on Wednesday night.

Nearly 100 residents spoke at the meeting with the majority of those residents coming out against the proposal. 

Below are the citizens most common concerns in bold, and Allen’s response.

Why does this need to be built here?

Several residents didn’t mind the idea of a ropes course; they just didn’t want it in their neighborhood.  Allen said that in order to build this kind of course you needed certain types of trees of a certain age.  Allen said that the proposed site is one of the few places in the city’s park system that has the right trees. 

Who’s liable if someone falls and breaks their neck?

Allen said that the company that comes in and builds the course would be liable if someone falls and gets hurt.  The owner-operator is responsible for litigation.

What about the environmental impact?

Allen said that studies show that these kinds of courses have a negligible impact on the environment.  He also said that the Audubon Society likes these courses because they can use them for bird watching.  Allen also said that the platforms are held in place by using vice-grips.  There are no stakes or nails that go in the trees.  He also said that the course could be removed, and park users would have no idea that it had ever been there after it was gone.

I like using the trails.  Won’t the presence of people in the trees ruin my hiking experience?

Allen said that the ropes course itself would not go over any part of the trails in the park.  He said that there would probably be some noise every once and awhile because people like to yell when they go down a zip line, but he also added that these courses are generally quieter than you would imagine.

Doesn’t this set a precedent for further privatizing the city’s park system?

Allen said that this project would not.  He argued that they are perusing this project because the parks department believes it will be a good way to engage children with the outdoors.  There’s an educational component to this.

What educational component?

Allen said that there would be signs along the course that provide insight into what course-goers are seeing.  He also said that these courses help build confidence and self-esteem.

This seems like an awful lot of work for something that’s only going to bring in $50,000?

Allen said that he would still want to do the project even if it didn’t bring in money, as long as it didn’t loose money.  He said this isn’t a moneymaking operation, but an outreach and educational operation.