Concerns Over Proposed Philly Zip Line

Officials looking to install a tree top zip line in the Wissahickon

Philadelphia's recreation department is considering running a treetop zip line course through a park in the city's Roxborough neighborhood.

The proposal would cover about five acres in Wissahickon Valley Park and include zip lines and wooden platforms that run through the trees.

Department of Parks and Recreation officials say they've researched similar courses in other cities to develop a plan for one in Philadelphia.

But neighbors who turned out at a public meeting about the idea Wednesday are expressing concern.

Some said they worried about the impact on the environment and land preservation. Others expressed concerns about parking and vandalism.

The city says it will meet with other area organizations to get more feedback. The idea would need approval from City Council.

Wissahickon Valley Park spans 1,800-acres of northwest Philadelphia. The seven-mile long Wissahickon Creek weaves its way through the park on its way to meet the Schuylkill River, according to conservation group Friends of the Wissahickon.

The park is part of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park System -- one of the world's largest urban parks at  10,500-acres.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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