By Megan Zirkle '06
Fresh mulch, plenty of trees and a way for the community to enjoy both the outdoors and physical activity - Virginia Wesleyan College's ropes course is soon to be up and running once again. After it was destroyed last year by Hurricane Isabel, Dr. Doug Kennedy, professor and coordinator of Recreation and Leisure Studies, is supervising a project to try to rebuild the ropes course, despite the rainy season which has hindered reconstruction. 
Previously located off of Power Plant Road, the old ropes course consisted of 13 low elements, including a climbing wall, nitro crossing, spider web and maze.
Kennedy is currently working with Wesleyan and an outside consulting firm to redesign the course and add three high elements.
So far, the new ropes course includes a 12-foot climbing wall, trust fall platform, swinging log, spider web and maze, now located behind J Lot.
For Kennedy, the real anticipation is the high elements, which will make the course more challenging and adverse.
"The exciting part is that three high elements will be added, included a two-line bridge and a multi-line bridge, which will bring another aspect to the course we didn't have before," he said.
The two-line bridge consists of two cables, one of which an individual must walk across while holding on to the other cable above their head. Much like the two-line bridge, the multi-vine bridge offers the same challenge, except individuals must grab "vines" that hang down, in order to make their way across the cable.
While the ropes course will offer something for everyone, sophomore Recreation and Leisure student Britney Wright feels the “Team Wall” is the most stimulating.
"The most exciting part of the new ropes course is the 'Team Wall,'" she said. "Although most of the elements are used for team building, this one I feel gives you the most sense of accomplishment when you are finished."
Thanks to the assistance of the consulting firm and with the addition of high elements, Kennedy feels that the ropes course will also attract outside groups and organizations.
"Not only is the course for student organizations, but also for outside groups to learn team building and development," he said.
With such a big task at hand, Kennedy was fortunate to have the help of the Groups Facilitation Methods Class, which has been helping to rebuild the course. The class teaches students to lead different activities as well as how to facilitate different elements of the ropes course. Over the course of the semester, students were responsible for spreading sand and mulch for the new path at the course.
"The whole idea of the class is to help students understand how to work in a group and for the facilitators to show people how to use the ropes course," Kennedy said.
And, as the summer approaches, construction on the course continues and Kennedy's enthusiasm grows.
"It's going to be the finest team building area in Hampton Roads," he said.