Adventure Park Insider Magazine—Sandwich, Mass., July 30, 2024—The Adventure Park at Heritage Museum and Gardens is flowing with fun again following a September 2023 court decision allowing the aerial park to reopen. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in early July.
After first opening in 2015 as a joint effort between Heritage Museum and Gardens and The Adventure Parks of Outdoor Ventures, the 10-acre park was ordered to close in 2017 when a judge ruled in favor of four residential neighbors that filed suit claiming that the park caused their property values to decline due to unwanted noise and increased traffic in the neighborhood. A protracted legal dispute ensued.
The aerial park was originally granted an operating permit under its classification as an educational exhibit. However, the judge in the 2017 case ruled that the aerial park did not qualify as an educational exhibit and therefore did not qualify for exemption from local zoning codes.
Visitors enjoy the park after the reopening.
The September ruling allowed the park to reopen under a “Special Permit” granting operation to an outdoor recreational activity having seasonal and operational limitations, said Outdoor Ventures president Candie Fisher. These included capping the park’s capacity at 125 people at any one time, limiting operating hours from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., the park cannot use artificial lighting, and all structures must now be under 500 square feet.
The code also required the park to make modifications to its design, guest flow, and facilities that included increasing the setback from the main access road an additional 70 feet, completely dismantling and relocating one course, and redesigning and reinstalling about 75 percent of a second course, among other things.
However, Fisher said the redesigns allowed Outdoor Ventures to make design improvements, allowing customers to experience some new additions—such as a Tarzan swing—that were not there previously.
“All in all, although costly to change and rebuild what needed to be done to comply with the new zoning designation, everything done—including all the maintenance that had been deferred due to the court proceedings—was reasonable and did not adversely affect our operations,” said Fisher. “Despite the costs associated with these changes, the park is optimistic about the future and satisfied with the outcome, even without the extended operating hours that artificial lighting would provide.”
The operation has vocal support from local and state leaders. State Sen. Susan Moran, D-Falmouth, attended the ribbon cutting and told the Cape Cod Times she may use the park for a legislative retreat. Sandwich Chamber of Commerce executive director Christine Ross told the Times she was excited to see tourists and locals enjoy the park, and that it “will bring a whole new vibe and feeling to the town on top of museum goers.”
“The support of the community, including government, chamber and town officials is very important to us and to Heritage,” said Fisher. “The Museum is a fixture in the community and the Cape in general and has very strong relationships, and we have been able to work closely with the Museum leadership to ensure strong support of the Park as well.”
Fisher said The Adventure Park at Heritage Museum and Gardens is well staffed, with 24 staff members working there, including park manager Bill Scanlan and lead supervisor Sam Dreger, who were “instrumental in getting the park ready for opening and leading this fantastic team,” said Fisher. The park is open seven days a week.
“While we would have liked to have opened in the spring, we are thrilled to be open for the summer season and seeing steady growth in visitation—the numbers and interest are meeting expectations and growing quickly,” said Fisher.
