Watchdog group presses Ijams to reopen Crag, make boating free
"We've been told that it is pending," said
On
Members of
The statute states "the landowner ... or any person in control of land or premises owes no duty of care to keep such land or premises safe for entry or use by others for such recreational activities as hunting, fishing, trapping ... rock climbing."
An environmental watchdog group that sued the
The Southern Forest Watch, a nonprofit group, argued in a 2013 lawsuit that the
"As it stands, no one can climb without going through a guide," Quillen wrote. "Similarly, no one can paddle at the quarry without paying a for-profit entity for the privilege. This is public land, and we are prepared to take the next steps, if necessary. I have been briefed by the
Townsend responded on Monday morning, saying Ijams is "in the process of reopening the climbing crag." He said Quillen's concern about the quarry was a new issue to him, and that he needed to discuss it with Ijams' Board of Directors and get back to him.
Townsend told the
"We're looking into all that, but we can't act on people's opinions," Townsend said. "We have to get advice from experts in the field, insurance people, lawyers etc., and we have to make the most appropriate decision for the organization."
"They're covering themselves so they can charge people to go use the crag," Quillen said of Ijams' decision to purchase insurance.
Regarding Mead's Quarry, Quillen said that if Ijams plans to continue to charge visitors to take boats on the waters, he would like to see administrators delineate that the quarry is not on city property.
"The question for me is, is that also city land, or is that specifically Ijams' property? Because if that's city land, then we're back on the same issue with the crag. ... To me, the issues are linked."
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