Koko Head Zip Line Proposal Faces Some Opposition

Tag : cable zip

Alt-E Ventures is proposing a 3,000-foot-long thrill ride from thetop of the crater, down the edge to the bottom.
Riders would pay $20 per ride. They would be fastened to sittingharnesses and travel up 55 mph.
The fully funded project would cost $750,000 with a portion of therevenue dedicated to improving and maintaining the Koko Craterhiking trail, Alt-E Ventures said.
Hikers at the trail late in the day had a variety of opinions.
"I don't feel too bad about it. Everyone can enjoy the hike up andthe regulars we can go down as usual," hiker Alisa Huber said. "Ithink it would be a spectacular ride down. I'd like to do it myselfone of these days."
While Huber supports the proposed zip line, her hiking buddy hadconcerns.
"It would bring more traffic in the Hawaii Kai area of course,"hiker Misty Leong said. "They'll probably make additional parkingsomewhere around here as well. It's pretty crowded as it is."
"It's, I hate to say it, progress, and we need spectacularadventures for tourists and for us locals, too," Huber said.
Other hikers were adamantly opposed to the zip line.
"To be honest, I think it's a little outrageous, justcommercializing this good hike," hiker Brandon Corse said. "Toomuch tourism, too much crowdedness."
"Soon they'll probably want to do, you know, a food stand, a giftshop, things like that, which is totally unnecessary," hiker SusieNguyen said.
That sentiment carried over to the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Boardmeeting, which made no decisions on the issue.
"Against the idea of having an outside company coming in," arearesident Makani Christensen said. "Maybe someone in Hawaii couldpotentially do that."
Alt-E Venture's owner Steve Klein was not available for comment onTuesday afternoon.
The city's parks director said Klein's e-mail was not taken as aformal proposal, but a 13-member panel is considering ways to keepthe trail open is discussing the idea.
More News From KITV:
Convicted Sex Offender Faces Time In Mental Institution
Honolulu Marathon Disqualifies Men's Winner For Doping
First Of China's New Tourists Arrive
Falls Of Clyde Ship Being Restored
Diesel Vehicles Upgrade Engines To Cut Emissions