'Walk About' Aims to Save Gold Creek Park From Zipline Development

The group of Woodinville residents fighting the development of is having an organized 'walk about' through the park Wednesday, May 16.

Preserve Gold Creek Park group is meeting at the park at 4:30 p.m. and make a human chain along a trail (see PDF). After the event, the group is having a community potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. the Sammamish Valley Grange. There will also be art supplies for participants to create artwork inspired by the event, according to organizers.

The controversial project was proposed last month by Gravityworks LLC, the same folks that have operated the Adventura rope course next to Redhook Brewery for the past decade. The company is hoping to build a state-of-the-art zipline adventure in the heavily wooded park, aiming to attract 30,0 00-40,000 tourists that come to Woodinville for the wineries every year, as well as locals.

The proposed adventure park (see PDF) would include 12 ziplines, a lodge (the old Boys and Girls Club building would be remodeled) and gift shop, maintenance building, and a shuttle service from at least two winery locations, according to Scott Chreist, co-owner of Gravityworks and company director of Adventura.

The proposed adventure park is part of the King County Parks Department’s business plan “to cultivate strong relationships with non-profit, corporate and community partner(s) to enhance park amenities for King County residents while leveraging taxpayers' dollars.” Partnership between the Parks Department and private or nonprofit organizations was started in 2002 in an effort to relieve the county of some of the costs of operating and maintaining the 250,000-acre parks system, according to the county.

Even before a formal plan for the zipline adventure park has been sent to the county for approval, residents of Hollywood Hill have formed a group and started a petition to stop the development. The Preserve Gold Creek Park group is worried that development of the park will mean the loss of an urban rarity: a nature reserve inside a second growth forest that has been left alone long enough to begin to exhibit mature forest characteristics, as described by residents. Preserve Gold Creek Park organized as soon as the project was announced and has a Facebook page and has started an online petition to stop the development of Gold Creek Park, citing, among other concerns, the effect noise would have on equestrians using the trails if the zipline plan goes forward.

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