WILLIAMS TWP., Pa. — Construction work on an attraction that will feature a four-story rope-climbing course imported from Germany, as well as zip lines, food trucks and a bar officially started Wednesday.
Founders, supporters and staff ceremonially broke ground at the future site of the HangDog Outdoor Adventure park, a four-acre destination off Cedarville Road that officials say will be the largest of its kind on the East Coast.
- The HangDog Outdoor Adventure park is officially under construction and set to open this summer
- Its founder, Mike McCreary, said it will be the largest ropes course in the Northeast
- Plans include zip lines, climbing, food and a bar
It also will feature giant swings, a free-fall jump and other things for the whole family (ages 4 and up) that will advance in difficulty, confidence and ability.
It's set to open early this summer.
"You know, when we built this thing, we're not just servicing Williams Township, Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown, we're servicing the Northeast," Mike McCreary, one of the founders of the park, said.
"We're gonna have a real pull here for tourism. And, you know, going with that, it has to be unique. And there's no facility like this in the world."
In all, it will have 115 climbing elements, including a 250-foot zip line out and back. The swing will be on a 35-foot pendulum that's 40 feet above the ground, and the free-fall jump off the top of the course.
Much of the blueprint of the park involves shipping crates re-purposed into buildings — such as the entryway, restrooms and bar. The retro-fitted crates are from a company in Michigan.
The climbing course comes from a company in Germany, which McCreary said came with challenges, such as coordinating such a project from overseas while both parties speak different languages.
He said there will be a "crazy lighting system" that will be visible from the highway and joked that he hopes it doesn't cause any confusion to airplane pilots flying overhead.
McCreary has owned businesses before in the Lehigh Valley, including Lehigh Valley Grand Prix, a go-karting center.
The name and logo of the new park were inspired by McCreary's dog, Dewey, who was in attendance Wednesday.
After the initial season, the park will open April 1 next year and stay open "as long into November as mother nature will let us," McCreary said.
As for the bar, McCreary said, "Who doesn't love a cold beer after a nice climb?"
