The District of Kitimat will be reaching out to the community to gauge its interest in a climbing wall at the Riverlodge Recreation Centre. While feasibility, engineering, and design details have yet to be worked out, council’s vote June 17 to launch the process pertains strictly to residents' desire to have the wall installed.
Unlike the existing bouldering wall at Riverlodge, which requires no ropes or harnesses and relies on crash pads for safety, a the proposed belay climbing wall is taller, uses ropes and harnesses, and requires a partner to belay the climber.
Councillor Mario Feldhoff enthusiastically endorsed the project, noting that Kitimat is behind other communities, some as small as Hartley Bay, in providing public access to a climbing wall. He further noted that the staff report indicates it will generate revenue exceeding the operating costs.
“That’s much better than we have for any of our other recreation facilities,” Feldhoff said. “To take the next step and see where this might lead is appropriate.”
Staff had initially asked council whether the wall would be best suited for the Riverlodge climbing room, or the racquetball court at Tamitik Sports Complex.
This originates from discussions last year when council asked staff to investigate options other than the Tamitik. It is the obvious first pick as the space is underused, and the wall could bring new users to the facility. However, staff noted several drawbacks, such as exposed fire lines through the ceiling area, lack of full enclosure, less-than-ideal access to the room and the absence of a security system.
In contrast, the Riverlodge addresses these drawbacks and boasts a pre-existing bouldering wall that the new system would complement. The only downside is the potential displacement of summer students from May to August.
Councillor Gerry Leibel successfully moved to exclude Tamitik from the consultation process. He felt having two options would clutter discussions with the public on whether the community wants the climbing wall in the first place.
Councillor Michelle Martins praised the prospect of a climbing wall as a much-needed indoor activity during winter months. “Kitimat has to lean into providing different types of recreational activities as a strength to lure newcomers to move here,” she noted.
Staff conducted extensive outreach to other local governments already offering indoor belay facilities, to gain insights regarding operational frameworks, maintenance protocols, regulatory compliance, and liability considerations.
Collaboration with the Climbing Wall Association indicated that the design and load requirements for the anchor system necessitate approval from a qualified engineer, with associated costs approximating $20,000. Design and construction costs are estimated at $20,000 and $75,000, respectively.
Once installed, the annual operating expenses are projected to be only $11,000, compared to $15,400 in projected revenues. The project completion and operational readiness are expected to span 6-8 months.
If the District of Kitimat moves forward with the installation, an option could be contracting the space to a climbing club or similar group and ndividuals, as opposed to the District operating the area with its employees. District staff believe it would be challenging to dedicate a district employee to managing and operating a belaying programm due to constant training requirements.
Forthcoming public consultation will include a public meeting on facility use, a community survey to gauge potential user interest and inclusion options, and the creation of draft design layouts.
