Treetop adventure course developer to explore other locations other than Greensfelder

The developer of a proposed treetop adventure course, Go Ape!, is considering its backup options after undergoing backlash from residents who are opposed to the plan in Greensfelder Park.

“Greensfelder’s certainly our No. 1. choice, but we’re kind of making a concession and suggesting we move to another location,” said Chris Swallow, Go Ape! director of business development. “We’re trying to be receptive to not only the parks and the community but the existing users of the park, despite the fact that we’ve had three courses next to equestrian trails in the past five years and have never had a problem. But we want to make sure that we have a good relationship with the existing users of the park.”

The outdoor adventure course would include hanging obstacles, swings and zip lines.

However, many residents have expressed concerns regarding traffic, how the course would affect horses in the park, taxpayer dollars paying for the course and an outside company coming to Wildwood. About 500 residents even went as far as signing a petition identifying the reasons they are against the course.

But Swallow said Go Ape! is “just really excited about the potential.”

“There is a lot of misinformation currently out there about what we do,” Swallow said. “I don’t think people know that we’re not an amusement park and we manage the use of our own course. We also regulate the flow of people through the course and have fundraisers for the specific parks that we reside in. We have always had a great relationship with the parks and the community groups associated with the parks.”

He said Go Ape! personally has not received many comments, for or against the outdoor course and is still determining where its proposal, which as of presstime is still in the hands of St. Louis County, is going to go.

“We’re kind of still seeing what happens with it,” Swallow said.