Phil Castle, The Business Times

Bonsai Design has constructed ziplines and outdoor adventure courses in some far-flung locations. But the company completed one of its latest projects closer to home —  just outside its Grand Junction headquarters.

Officials with Bonsai Design and the City of Grand Junction officially celebrated the opening of Riverfront Zip Adventures and a zipline that runs nearly 1,200 from Eagle Rim Park atop a bluff across the Colorado River to a landing pad in Las Colonias Park.

Thaddeus Shrader, chief executive officer and co-owner of Bonsai Design, says the project constitutes another milestone for a firm that started 19 years ago out of a garage and a van and now serves as anchor tenant of a business park. “After many years of installations in communities all over the country, it’s a pleasure being able to design and build a zipline in the place we’ve made our home for the last two decades.”

Ken Sherbenou, parks and recreation director for the City of Grand Junction, calls the project a culmination of years of work between Bonsai Design and the city to design and build Los Colonias Park and the zipline. “This has been a long time coming.”

The city entered into an agreement with Bonsai Design that included a low-cost lease, $1 million contribution toward the construction of new facilities and waiver of real and business property taxes over a 10-year period.

Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout says collaborations among public, private and nonprofit partners turned an area that once included a junkyard and rendering plant into an area that features a 5,000-seat amphitheater and river park. And now, a zipline.

“Now, it’s an incredible asset,” Stout says. “This is not just an incredible amenity for the city. It symbolizes our city coming together and having a vision for who we are.”

Bonsai Design designs, builds and installs adventure courses and ziplines for customers around the world. By one estimate, more than 1 million people have experienced the company’s attractions.

Many of the nearly 70 projects Bonsai Design has completed  are located in Colorado. They include a zipline tour at the Telluride Ski Resort and in Colorado Springs, sky bridges and ziplines at the Broadmoor resort and an adventure tower at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

In Grand Junction, the project features a dual zipline that runs from a launch site at Eagle Rim Park 1,180 feet over the Colorado River and Butterfly Lake to a landing tower in Las Colonias Park. Tours end with a 30-foot rappel off the tower.

Sarah Shrader co-founded Bonsai Design to design and install aerial adventure courses. Her husband, Thaddeus, joined the business after retiring as an airline pilot.

Bonsai Design received the Company of the Year Award from the Economic Development Council of Colorado. Bonsai Design also was selected as a winner in the Colorado Companies to Watch program honoring fast-growing firms in the state and a runner-pup in the Wright Awards program.

Bonsai Design has grown over the years and operated out of several locations in Grand Junction, including the former Union Station downtown. The company constructed a new headquarters as the anchor tenant of the business park at Las Colonias Park.

Bonsai Design was involved in designing Los Colonias Park and has worked with the Grand Junction Economic Partnership to recruit additional companies to locate in the business park there.

Located at 1601 Riverfront Drive, Riverfront Zip Adventures offers zipline tours from noon to 8 p.m.
Friday through Sunday. For more information or reservations, call (970) 628-0293 or log on to www.riverfrontzip.com.