Ziplines, Canopy Tours and Geocaching Could Come to Moccasin Lake Park

What do you think about being able to zip around the tree tops at Moccasin Lake Park?

How about walking along bridges and platforms at the same height as the trees that cover 51-acres of park land?

A zipline, canopy tour, geocaching and a host of other ideas are some of what could make up the future-use plan at Moccasin Lake Park.

An open house recently asked for resident’s opinions on what they would like to see at the park and how they would like to see it developed in the future. Residents can also take an online survey through Wednesday. The plan could be finalized in the late fall.

The park opened in 1982 as an environmental and education center. The buildings were constructed as energy efficient and hurricane resistant.

Inside are old displays with conch shells and other sea life and a few aquariums with fish and some snakes. On the walls laminated pictures are tacked up, which do not seem to have been updated in years.

The park features nature trails and wildlife encounters. It hosts events like drum circles, fireside concerts and morning bird walks.

Those uses are fine, but city officials want to create a plan to guide the future of the park. Residents who attend the meeting may recommend leaving the park as is or offer other suggestions.

Some of the possible uses at the park include geocaching, an activity in which participants use GPS and other means of tracking a special “cache.” Another plan could create an interpretive trail walk where hikers could download a smartphone app and get information about different parts of the park marked by signs. A community garden, natural playground and food forest also are suggestions. 

The most controversial idea could be possibly adding a zipline tour to the park.

A plan to bring a zipline tour to failed to gain traction last year. The . Nearby, residents were appalled at the project and worried about its impacts to the local ecology.

Trisha Kirby came out to make sure the area remains a pristine, natural habitat. She said she came to speak for the animals.

Kirby, who worked in the federal parks system, likes the idea of adding environmental education elements, but the idea of a zipline route through the park, not so much.

“It’s going to disrupt the natural environment,” Kirby said, mentioning there are gopher tortoise nest sites throughout the park. “You come here and you feel peaceful. You don’t feel like you are in the middle of the city.”

Take the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z2QDC7X