Thirteen-year-old Mehima Dhandwar was one of the first elementary students in Richmond to climb the Richmond Olympic Oval's new climbing wall. Tuesday, the oval officially unveiled its state-of-the-art 6,400 square foot climbing wall. Mehima was one of 24 Kingswood elementary school kids to have a chance to scale the simulated granite rock structure.
"I've never climbed a wall before and it was scary and fun and exciting all at once," said the Grade 7 student. "I want to try it again."
On hand to help the students rappel the wall was Andrew Wilson, former head coach of Canada's Sport Climbing team and now the lead climbing programmer at the oval.
"The wall structure climbs as close to the real thing as I have experienced on an artificial structure, while the 44-foot high lead tower provides long, bumpy, technical climbs," said Wilson. "There's something for every level."
"The climbing wall can be a metaphor for life - it teaches you to confront your fears," he added. "Also, the fundamental moves for climbing the wall are really basic moves to help people prepare for other sports."
First-timer Olivia Lamb, 12, certainly did face her fears. "It was really fun, but I regret looking down from the top because it really freaked me out, but I want to do it again."
Aran Kay, program manager, marketing and communications at the oval, said the wall is the only one in the province that has simulated rock, modelled after a mountain in Bulgaria.
Mayor Malcolm Brodie also witnessed the inauguration. "I'm told by the climbing community that there are only a few climbing walls around the Lower Mainland and this one is higher and more extensive than the others."
For May, the oval has dropped the climbing wall admission rates by half. Adults are $8.50 and $2.50 for children. Learn to Climb courses in May start at $22.50 for children age five to 12 and $33 for youth and adults age 13+. For more information, visit www. richmondoval.ca/climbing.
