DNREC News: GO APE and DNREC To Build First Treetop Adventure Course In DE

Media Contacts:
Carolyn Tunney
Go Ape Treetop Adventure
443.365.0554
carolyn.tunney@goape.com

or

Beth Shockley
DNREC Public Affairs
302-739-9902
Elizabeth.shockley@state.de.us

Partnership will be Go Ape’s first with a state park system in the country

WHAT

Go Ape and DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation (Delaware State Parks) are pleased to announce their public private partnership to bring the award winning Go Ape Treetop Adventure course experience to Lums Pond State Park in Bear. The course will allow participants to explore the forest canopy and pond at Lums Pond State Park from an otherwise unobtainable vantage point, from 50 feet within the trees. When complete, the course will be the first of its kind in Delaware, and in the Philadelphia and Wilmington metropolitan areas, providing residents and tourists with a unique outdoor adventure.

“We are very excited that Go Ape is bringing its Treetop Adventure to Lums Pond, where children and adults will have a unique outdoor recreational experience,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “This fits perfectly with Delaware’s commitment to providing healthy outdoor recreation and fun for our residents and visitors exploring our abundant natural resources.”

Go Ape is a highly interactive treetop adventure where participants are equipped with harnesses, pulleys and carabineers and receive a 30-minute training session before they are turned loose into the forest canopy. The courses, which can be completed in two to three hours, feature a series of zip lines, Tarzan swings, rope ladders, bridges, swings, and trapezes. Catering to all skill levels, participants are encouraged to push themselves and turn ”I can’t” into “I can.”

The build will begin in May for a planned summer 2013 opening, just in time for the summer. More information regarding the course and opening announcement will follow on Go Ape’s website, Facebook, and subsequent press releases. To see video of the Go Ape experience, visit Go Ape’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/goapeusa.

WHEN and WHERE

Course build will take place throughout May and June 2013

Go Ape Lums Pond State Park

1042 Howell School Road

Bear, Delaware 19701

ABOUT GO APE (http://www.goape.com)

Go Ape’s mission is to encourage everyone to live life adventurously while supporting park departments across the country. To date, Go Ape has developed rewarding partnerships with park departments in Indianapolis, IN, Pittsburgh, PA, Rockville, MD and Williamsburg, VA. Under each partnership, a portion of every ticket sold goes back to the respective park department while 100% of the capital investment is paid for by Go Ape. In addition, Go Ape leads park stewardship programs, develops educational signage, hosts yearly fundraisers to raise funds for the park and provides free and discounted tickets to underserved and special needs communities. Go Ape aligns its goals and activities to those of its park partners to encourage the sustainability and health of the parks and the communities they serve.

To join the tribe, become a fan of “Go Ape USA” on Facebook or follow @GoApeUSA on Twitter.

Editor’s Note: Media representatives are invited to take a complimentary swing through the Go Ape course during the 2013 season. All participants must receive a 30 minute training session, prior to starting the course. To book your complementary visit, please contact Carolyn Tunney at 443-365-0554.

Vol. 43, No. 193

**UPDATE**

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Go Ape zip line Treetop Adventure opens at Lums Pond State Park

BEAR (June 21, 2013) – DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara joined State Representative. Valerie Longhurst, and other state and parks officials on the brand new zip lines at the new Go Ape Treetop Adventure at Lums Pond State Park. It’s the first zip line treetop adventure course in a state park on the East Coast; the first treetop adventure course in Delaware, and Go Ape’s first partnership with a state park. Under the public/private partnership, Go Ape and DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation are offering Delawareans this unique outdoor adventure.

“This is a first for Delaware and I’m delighted Go Ape decided to locate at beautiful Lums Pond State Park,” said Governor Jack Markell. “This regional attraction will benefit Delaware tourism and our local businesses by drawing nearby visitors and people from surrounding states. That's a boon for our tourism economy and for Lums Pond State Park. It's a fun and healthy adventure and another great reason to get outside in Delaware this summer.”

Go Ape is a highly interactive treetop adventure where participants are equipped with harnesses, pulleys and carabineers and receive a 30-minute training session before they are turned loose into the trees. The course at Lums Pond State Park will provide visitors with two to three hours of outdoor fun and exercise while they navigate more than 40 obstacles situated in the treetops of the park.

“We are so excited to come to Delaware and bring with us some of the longest zip lines Go Ape has anywhere in the U.S.,” said Dan D’Agostino, USA Managing Director for Go Ape. “Because of its water features, Lums Pond State Park is the perfect location to create the first zip lines to cross a body of water in a state park.”

The course spans seven acres and features five zip lines, four of which will fly participants over Lums Pond. Also included are two Tarzan swings and a series of rope ladders, bridges, swings and trapezes, many with views of the pond.

“We welcome Go Ape’s low-impact recreation approach and commend them for their attention to protecting the trees and the environment around the course,” said DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara. “We are so pleased that Delaware families have their own zip line adventures available to them at a great location like Lums Pond State Park. This is a course that allows us to ‘live life adventurously,’ and experience the park like never before, from 50 feet up in the trees, hanging by a wire. I challenge everyone to take a ride down, to get outdoors and enjoy all that Delaware has to offer in nature this summer. I’ll see you in the trees.”

Go Ape’s mission is to support park departments across the country. To date, Go Ape has developed rewarding partnerships with park departments in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Rockville, Md. and Williamsburg, Va. Under each partnership, a portion of every ticket sold goes back to the respective park department while 100 percent of the capital investment is paid for by Go Ape.

“Go Ape’s attractions are a perfect fit for Delaware, and a great tool for boosting our visibility as a tourist destination,” said Linda Parkowski, director of the Delaware Tourism Office. “The zip lines will attract people who are looking for outdoor adventures, which are very popular with travelers.”

In addition, Go Ape leads park stewardship programs, develops educational signage, hosts yearly fundraisers to raise funds for the park, and provides free and discounted tickets to underserved and special needs communities. Go Ape aligns its goals and activities to those of its park partners to encourage the sustainability and health of the parks and the communities they serve.

“A lot of people have the idea that they need to leave Delaware to participate in high-adventure outdoor activities,” said DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation Director Charles Salkin. “But, Delaware State Parks offer rock climbing, mountain biking, adventure races, ocean kayaking and much more. Adding the Go Ape course to the mix makes our state park system the go-to place for this level of outdoor experience.”

For more information, visit

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More information, including directions can be found at http://www.goape.com/zip-line/delaware-lums-pond-state-park. GPS directions are: Lums Pond State Park, 1042 Howell School Road, Bear, 19701.

You can become a fan of “Go Ape USA” on Facebook or follow @GoApeUSA on Twitter. To see video of the Go Ape experience, visit Go Ape’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/goapeusa. To book treetime, go to http://www.goape.com or call 1-800-971-8271. The cost is $35 (ages 10-17) and $55 for adults.

Vol. 43, No. 253