300-Acre Adventure Park In Lemont Utilizes Lemont Quarry
A coming attraction to downtown Lemont could make it a major tourist destination. Lemont Mayor John Egofske told our sister station 1340 WJOL that a 300-acre outdoor adventure park will be a partnership between public resources such as the Lemont quarry and private money.
The 10-million dollar project is expected to break ground this fall and create an outdoor experience like no other. It will include a zip line, water activities like kayaking, bike riding, rope bridges, climbing walls and more than 200 other elements of outdoor fun. Mayor Egofske says downtown Lemont is already changing in advance of this big outdoor park.
One of the investors is a resident of Lemont, Jeremie Bacon and his friend Chris Gladwin, both were in the software business and have a passion for the outdoors.
The Forge Adventure Park will feature the tallest man-made zip line tower in North America. The hiking, running and biking trails will be free and open to the public. The second phase of the project will feature permanent buildings which could begin late next year.