Williamsburg lands Go Ape! ropes course

By Andy Thompson | February, 21, 2012

Go Ape! is coming to Williamsburg, reports Richmond.com. Some of you may remember that this ropes and zipline course through the hardwood canopy was supposed to be built in Richmond’s Byrd Park in the forest behind the Carillon. It was felled, however, by politics, as the Richmond.com piece explains:

In late 2010, Richmond missed out on a chance to bring a proposed ropes course at Byrd Park. The proposal generated opposition from nearby residents, citing potential damage to the course site in a wooded area behind the Carillon, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A plan for a public meeting was canceled after J.R. Pope resigned as director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities over an unrelated matter. He was pinpointed by 5th district city councilman Marty Jewell as the person behind the Go Ape project.

 

At least we won’t have to go far to check out what it would have been like. Freedom Park – a cool place in its own right — is maybe an hour’s drive from Richmond. Should be interesting to see what kind of crowds it draws.

 

 

About The Author

Andy Thompson

I’ve been the Outdoors Columnist at the Times-Dispatch for the past four years, writing about mountain biking, fishing, paddling and much more every Friday and Sunday in the Sports section. I live a 1/4 mile from the James River, close enough to see bald eagles soaring over my house on their way to find a meal. Pretty cool, eh?