Hey guys/girls...I just wanted to give everyone a small update on the situation with Zoo in Columbia, SC. We've been using it off and on for quite a few years, but there has always been talk from the Zoo that they wanted to put an end to activities on the rocks. This seems to have been (and I understand why) driven by the constant issues the Zoo was forced to deal with due to the Summer "visitors" to the rocks. If you've never been there during the summer...imagine several hundred people scattered along the riverbanks drinking all day and then needing to stumble through the parking lot to their cars...sometimes harassing Zoo patrons...and most often driving under the influence. What this led to was the Zoo erecting a very tall chain link fence with barbed wire at the top which surrounds the end of the parking lot.
I had mentioned at a few of the last comps that I would be contacting the guy I've spoken with previously when we've held comps at the Zoo regarding the possibility of us continuing to use it 1-2 times a year. We had noticed that the kayakers have worked something out with the Zoo in order to continue using the area so we figured there might still be a chance.
I just spoke to the guest service director at Riverbanks regarding the use of the rocks...more importantly the use of the parking lot for events. He said that the kayakers had to sign a contract with the Zoo and provide proof that they had obtained insurance to cover themselves in the event that anyone gets hurt while they are there. What does this mean for us? It means that SCRCC will not be organizing any events at the zoo. I would also recommend to everyone that you don't advertise...ANYWHERE...that you are hosting an event at the zoo. Any indication that it is actually an "event" being hosted by someone means that there is someone responsible for everyone that attends.
What this boils down to is this...I don't think anyone will have a problem if it's just 2-3 cars and they park towards the end of Candi Lane...past the RR crossing and make the hike to the trails. It's really not that far from that area to the trails...at least not as far as to the rocks we use for competitions anyway.
I wish I had better news, but with the city of Columbia backing off from installing the parking lot they had funding approved for and the zoo finally taking control of their parking lot I believe it's in our best interests to be VERY careful about what we do there. Every time we've been there we've been trespassing on SCEG property...and in the past we were trespassing by parking at the Zoo and not going to the zoo...not to mention walking on the RR tracks is an entirely different charge. We've just been fortunate that noone has gotten hurt and opened us up to bigger issues than any one of us wants to deal with.
Obviously I can't tell anyone what to do...but I wanted to make sure everyone understood the current situation.
Ryan
I had mentioned at a few of the last comps that I would be contacting the guy I've spoken with previously when we've held comps at the Zoo regarding the possibility of us continuing to use it 1-2 times a year. We had noticed that the kayakers have worked something out with the Zoo in order to continue using the area so we figured there might still be a chance.
I just spoke to the guest service director at Riverbanks regarding the use of the rocks...more importantly the use of the parking lot for events. He said that the kayakers had to sign a contract with the Zoo and provide proof that they had obtained insurance to cover themselves in the event that anyone gets hurt while they are there. What does this mean for us? It means that SCRCC will not be organizing any events at the zoo. I would also recommend to everyone that you don't advertise...ANYWHERE...that you are hosting an event at the zoo. Any indication that it is actually an "event" being hosted by someone means that there is someone responsible for everyone that attends.
What this boils down to is this...I don't think anyone will have a problem if it's just 2-3 cars and they park towards the end of Candi Lane...past the RR crossing and make the hike to the trails. It's really not that far from that area to the trails...at least not as far as to the rocks we use for competitions anyway.
I wish I had better news, but with the city of Columbia backing off from installing the parking lot they had funding approved for and the zoo finally taking control of their parking lot I believe it's in our best interests to be VERY careful about what we do there. Every time we've been there we've been trespassing on SCEG property...and in the past we were trespassing by parking at the Zoo and not going to the zoo...not to mention walking on the RR tracks is an entirely different charge. We've just been fortunate that noone has gotten hurt and opened us up to bigger issues than any one of us wants to deal with.
Obviously I can't tell anyone what to do...but I wanted to make sure everyone understood the current situation.
Ryan
