April 28--A contemplative walk in the woods is all well and good, but if you've ever wanted to hurtle past a squirrel's front door, 40 feet above the forest floor, like a latter-day Tarzan, a new business coming to a Cook County forest preserve aims to help you out.
Go Ape -- a Maryland-based business that has built treetop adventure parks across the nation -- starts work next week building five zip lines and other high-altitude attractions in Bemis Woods, near west suburban Western Springs.
Swinging through the treetops won't come cheap. A two- or three-hour pass will set back adults $57, and children $37.
But Arnold Randall, general superintendent of the Cook County Forest Preserve District, defended the attraction Wednesday as an exciting addition that will bring both new visitors and revenue when it's scheduled to open by Fourth of July weekend.
"There's nothing in the Chicago area that's close to this," Randall said. "It's quite an experience."
Go Ape is paying the Forest Preserve District a minimum of $20,000 a year to rent the 5-acre site, plus a share of revenues if it's a success. The deal also requires Go Ape to provide the district with free tickets for 10 percent of the attraction's visitors, Go Ape spokesman Chris Swallow said.
"We want to make sure that as many people as possible who want access can get it," he said, adding that around half of Go Ape's customers at other sites are families, with the other half made up of corporate parties and other group bookings.
Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin -- the only commissioner to vote in October against building the zip line course -- on Wednesday described Go Ape's prices as "very expensive."
"I have real questions about how successful it's going to be," Suffredin said. "Most of these zip lines are in high tourist areas."
Suffredin said he also was opposed to the construction of "additional structures in the forest preserve. I don't think that's our mission," adding the zip wires could detract from the natural beauty of the forest.
Photos of other Go Ape facilities depict a series of treetop platforms that bear a loose resemblance to the Ewok village in "Return of the Jedi."
Swallow said the zip lines -- the longest of which will run for 600 feet -- are "as safe as taking a hike." Being strapped to a zip line "doesn't require a lot of skill" added Randall, who said he has ridden zip lines at other locations.
Still, he said, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will not be trying the ride out for herself at the grand opening.
"I asked her," Randall said. "She's not interested."
kjanssen@tribpub.com
