Slacklining Proponents Walking Fine Line With Davis Parks Officials
DAVIS (CBS13) — A unique and potentially dangerous sport is gaining a lot of attention in Davis, and some are walking an illegal line to do it.
It's called slacklining, where you balance on a line tied between two trees. It's only allowed at a few parks like Covell Park, because the city says it just isn't safe everywhere.
Michael Toso says it is an acrobatic balancing act that requires two trees, a line and focus.
"Being in a position where if you lapse your concentration for one second, you fall off the line, it makes you just stay in the moment," he said.
CBS13's Ian Schwartz lasted about a moment.
But the city of Davis is laying down the law on the lines after getting complaints from people concerned trees are being damaged, and they're worried about people running into the lines in a busy park.
"We're worried about lines being unattended," said Christine Helweg with the city's parks department. "The lines not being seen by by the general public."
Toso puts protection around the trees to make sure people can see his line like the city wants. But he wishes they would cut home some slack so he could bring the new trend to more popular parks.
"I think it just really adds to the atmosphere and adds to the character of Davis," he said.
At the end of the year, Davis will look at the law again to see if they will allow slacklining in other parks. Currently, it's only allowed at Oak Grove, Covell park and the Covell Greenbelt.
So far only a few people have received warnings, and no citations have been handed out. No injuries have been reported, yet.
