Zipit Forest Adventures plans to invest about €2.5 million ($2.75 million) to roll out new high ropes courses in Kildare, Ireland, and at Coillte forest parks, including at the popular Donadea forest park, according to a report at Independent.ie.
The new €1 million ($1.1 million) course in Kildare will be almost one-kilometer-long through the tree tops. Platforms that ring the trees will be at heights of up to 20 meters. The course also includes zip lines, ladders, rope bridges, and swinging log elements. The park plans to hire a permanent manager and permanent assistant manager with a further 18 seasonal staff. Zipit has submitted a planning application for the project.
Zipit has three high ropes courses already in Coillte forest parks in Cork, Roscommon, and Dublin, and will add two more in 2023 in forest parks. They will employ up to 40 more people with further investment of about €1.5 million ($1.65 million).
Zipit is owned by Cool Running Events. CEO Bill Cremin said that Donadea would become Zipit’s flagship park and “the biggest investment to date by quite a way.”
He noted that the parks allow people to enjoy forests without negatively impacting them, a combination that has great appeal at present.
“Since the Covid pandemic, being outdoors is the new staying in,” he told the Independent. “We are delighted to see the growing appreciation of our natural countryside and to be part of the exciting expansion of recreational opportunities that are available across the country. Our vision is to re-introduce adventure to participants whilst challenging and motivating them to reach beyond their perceived limitations.”
Cremin said the company will employ specialist manufacturers—Buckley Group—in the build of the parks, and incorporate state of the art equipment designed to support the platforms and protect the trees by allowing them to grow and expand without interfering with the platforms.
