Representatives of the Adventure Guild and city officials gathered at Camp Jordan Park, Thursday afternoon, to cut a ribbon signifying the opening of the new zip line.
The 35-foot tall, 550-foot long zip line is the main attraction that the Adventure Guild has built on the Northeast quadrant of Camp Jordan. Kim Stock, who along with her husband, Don, own the Adventure Guild, said the zip line will be open to the public on Saturdays. Individuals can brave the zip line for $19.95. If you have a party of four, the price drops to $15.95. It, along with a series of structural features that promote team building, is available for groups like corporations, schools and churches.
“This is an exciting milestone for us,” said Don Stock. “This will now be home base for our team building.”
The Stocks began building zip lines in upstate New York about 15 years ago. They purchased the Adventure Guild from Mike Pollack and Rob Piper in 2004. The Stocks operate zip lines at Ruby Falls and in St. Augustine, Florida. Kim Stock said Don has built zip lines as far away as Jamaica and Egypt.
Kim Stock said the Adventure Guild’s contract with the City of East Ridge will include the city getting a percentage of the profits from those using the Adventure Guild’s facility.
“We’re very excited to be able to make this partnership,” Kim Stock said.
Mayor Brent Lambert said the Adventure Guild’s zip line and other amenities will add to the city’s recreational activities in the 270-acre park.
“This will be fantastic,” Lambert said. “Camp Jordan is the biggest draw for our city. This enhances that.”
Lambert said that the zip line will be perfect to fill the down time that sports teams have between games in long tournaments at the park.
The Stocks said that the zip line and team-building challenge course is just the first phase for the Adventure Guild as it relates to Camp Jordan. Don Stock said the outfit intends to build a series of “high challenge elements” extending back toward Chickamauga Creek.
“We want to make this a destination for our clients,” Stock said.
The city has committed to spending $118,000 on a paved pathway from the north parking lot to the zip line site. Officials said the path will provide access for emergency vehicles.
There’s no need for serious concern, however. The Adventure Guild Operations Manager, Phil Davis, said statistically speaking more people sustain injury getting out of their vehicles in the parking lot than on challenge courses like his organization runs.
