University officials are working with Sweet Home Senior High School to take down the unused ropes course on UB property behind the high school’s baseball field. UB has no plans for the course, and the course is no longer maintained, according to UB spokesperson Kate McKenna.
Matt LaRoach, athletic director of Sweet Home Senior High School, said the university has not contacted Sweet Home athletics yet, but Sweet Home has their own plans to take the course down in the “immediate future.”
“I want this course taken down,” LaRoach said. “The reason we stopped maintaining it was because students and faculty no longer use it.”
High school officals have already approved the school’s Buildings and Grounds department to take down the course, according to LaRoach.
Sweet Home Senior High School built the course in 1983, with a revocable permit from UB, according to McKenna. Trees used for the course have fallen with equipment still attached, but many structures still remain intact. UB became aware of the poor condition last year, according to McKenna.
LaRoach said the course was not used for over a decade and is located on both UB and high school property. Students and faculty have been instructed to not use the course, according to LaRoach.
McKenna said UB has to review the official terms of the agreement to decide what action it will take to remove it.
McKenna wrote in an email that UB does not currently maintain the course and has posted signs to indicate that it is unsafe and should not be used.
Signs hang from trees surrounding the course, but the course is still reachable through a cleared out path next to Sweet Home Senior High School’s baseball field. LaRoach said the path is for the cross-country team and is not meant to lead to the ropes course. LaRoach said, he did not know so much of the ropes course was still standing until recently.
Mckenna said UB has no comment regarding non-university use of campus land.
Thomas Zafonte is the senior sports editor and can be reached at thomas.zafonte@ubspectrum.com and on Twitter @Thomas_Spectrum
Thomas Zafonte is a senior English major. He is a UB sports fan and enjoys traveling around Buffalo.
