Going Ape at Gunnersbury
PARK’S REGENERATION CONTINUES WITH APPROVAL FOR TREETOP ADVENTURE
CHILDREN and adults will be able to enjoy swinging through the trees when an Go Ape high-wire course is installed at Gunnersbury Park.
At an Ealing Council cabinet meeting last week, permission was given to appoint Adventure Forest Ltd, trading as Go Ape, to bring the tree-top highwire attraction to Gunnersbury for a period of 25 years as part of its £50 million regeneration plan.
Go Ape courses typically involve tree-top platforms, climbing nets, Tarzan swings and zip wires high up in the trees.
David Bowler, CEO of the Gunnersbury Community Interest Company, which now runs the park for Ealing Council, said: “Gunnersbury Park is a wonderful resource for west London and we are proud of the improvements that have been made over the last few years.
“We want to continue to explore opportunities for exciting ways for people to use the park and we think Go Ape is one of these.
“Over the next month we will be talking with park users, local residents and other interested parties to listen to their views and opinions on this proposal before Go Ape submit a planning application.”
Ben Davies, head of business development at Go Ape, said: “Go Ape is about encouraging people to live life adventurously and we are excited to explore the opportunities at Gunnersbury Park and hope we can bring a challenging, adventurous and fun activity to west London for everyone to enjoy.
“We are looking forward to meeting with local residents and discussing our exciting plans during the consultation.”
An existing kiosk will be converted into a reception area and a covered shelter will be built next to it for group events. The council says it hopes the high-wire experience will provide long-term benefits to Ealing residents in terms of getting people outdoors and staying active.
Adventure Forest Ltd will pay for and maintain the facility and it could open in June 2019.
Ealing Conservative leader Greg Stafford said: “I think this will be a really positive thing for families in the local area. The council should be congratulated on their redevelopment of Gunnersbury Park.
“They’ve done a really good job with the money they’ve got from central Government and from the Heritage Lottery
Fund.”
The regeneration of Gunnersbury Park has included restoration of the mansion and museum and the temples and follies, a new café, playgrounds, nature trails and signage.
Building has also started on a stateof the art community sports centre.
The idea for Go Ape began in France in 2001 when husband and wife Tristram and Rebecca Mayhew were on holiday in the Auvergne with their six-month old baby and saw an opportunity to start a business moulded by their own values.
So they took a leap of faith, quit their London jobs and began the Go Ape adventure. Some 30 courses later, they have built one of the fastest growing companies in the country and have plans to take the Go Ape experience all over the UK and beyond.