This week The Grand Wall Bouldering Co-op released a survey to determine the number of people interested in renewing their membership, both current members as well as the climbing community at large, for the upcoming year. As most of you know, a new commercial climbing facility, Ground Up Climbing, is currently under construction in town and is slated to open November 15th (unofficial) pending no delays in construction. With such a small year-round climbing community, the question needs to be asked as to whether these two ventures can co-exist in a town the size of Squamish. Squamish Climbing Magazine had a chance to sit down with Jeremy Blumel, a member of the co-op board and ask him a few questions to fill us in on the details. Here is what he had to say.
Hi Jeremy, thanks for taking the time to talking to us. So, the Grand Wall Bouldering Co-op just sent out a a survey to all its members. What is the survey all about and what are you folks trying to figure out?
Tim, it’s a genuine pleasure to speak with you. Our survey is a chance for us to poll our members to see what their interest will be in climbing in the Grand Wall Bouldering Co-op come this next year. With a new commercial facility opening up, we need to know that we have enough committed citizens to make our climbing state run smoothly.
How many people does the co-op need to stay open next year?
To be honest, I don’t really know the exact figure. Somewhere around 60 key holding annual members, as the crow flies.
Do you think that the Co-op and Ground up can co-exist in a community like Squamish?
I think that in a community like Squamish, a for-profit climbing gym and a not-for-profit climbing co-op can flourish together. The climbing gym brings in the new interested people who want to explore what climbing is, the kids have a place to meet buddies, be physically active and learn what climbing has to offer a Squamish youth and the hard cores, in whatever discipline you choose have a new training ground to learn in. Set routes, new plastic holds, varying angles; all these things add up to an amazing new bit of terrain when the rains descend. The Co-op offers the psyched, self-motivated climber an open training slate with which to experiment and apply new training ideas, meet like-minded folk, and just circuit around whenever they want. The creativity of a non-set hold canvas really appeals to many of us who like to create problems. The Co-op also offers a model that works for people from a wide range of economic groups. We’re cheaper, and you can go for as long as you want, whenever you want. However, it smells like feet and has a chalky aire about it.
How does the vision of the Co-op differ from that of ground up?
The Co-op is a self-sustaining, not-for-profit entity which exists as a place for its members to come and climb. We offer a more focused product to a smaller range of the climbing community in town. We can’t offer premium hold choice, set problems, roped climbing or terrain for the beginner because we simply don’t have the space or the money to create this. This is where a facility like Ground Up shines.
Have you had any pressure to disband the Co-op and support the new gym?
There’s been no pressure either way. The people who are getting Ground Up off the ground are Co-op members, they understand the key differences between the two facilities. We’ve had co-op members who are very supportive of keeping the co-op alive for training but who will also drop in or buy passes to Ground Up because they want that new school gym experience. And, they want somewhere less foot smelling and chalky sometimes.
Just so people have a good idea, How does the Co-op differ from other gyms?
The Co-op is a large room of five differently angled walls connected together. We have a few 1000 holds spread out around the gym and no tape. Holds are resin, stone, wood, whatever you can semi-safely bolt on and pull off of. We have a gymnastic type padded floor, a set of fingerboards, a small system area, a campus board, rings, free weights, a sloper pull-up tube and a finger crack simulator. We also have a stereo and a bathroom and heat. You come in, climb, create problems or circuits or whatever and remember them for next time. If not, then you make some more. The facility is no tape because it keeps the walls cleaner and encourages remembering sequences more actively.
How many people used the Co-op last year?
Somewhere around 120 keys have gone out in the 2014-15 season.
The Co-op is almost like a training centre. Have you ever thought about doing a renovation to the walls and catering to those climbers who put an emphasis on training?
We have a good balance between climbing and training space. We reach a wide variety of motivated climbers with our blend because many members route climb, trad climb, multi-pitch and alpine climb. Climbing can’t only be about fingerboarding and campusing.
How much does a Co-op membership cost and when does a ‘co-op year officially start?
The Co-op costs $400/year with our calendar beginning Nov.1st 2015 – Oct. 31st 2016. Passes are purchased at Climb On Out West.
Why does the year membership model work for the co-op?
The Annual Pass key holder model works because it’s simple and self maintaining. The Co-op board of directors and membership is made up of parents, business owners, students, sponsored climbers, guides, vagrants and everything inbetween. We need a simple running model. You buy your key, pay in cash or post-dated cheques and then you too can climb whenever you want.
Rumour has it that the Co-op has enough cash in its war chest to stay open with very little members. Is this something that the co-op has considered?
We have some gold in our coffers and have considered this but then it makes the next year especially tight. If we run in the positive we can keep gauging interest year by year and add improvements when they make sense. If we close, then we need to decide what happens to the current surplus of cash. If we have a small number of members then the continuing price would have to be adjusted to cover our costs. Once that amount gets too close to Ground Up’s price the advantages won’t be as worth it.
As a final word to the climbing community, if anyone is interested in joining or curious about the direction we’re headed in please fill out our survey online.
Thanks again, Jeremy! Any information is good information and the co-op has certainly served a very valuable public space for the climbing community in Squamish.
For those who missed it, the online form is available here. Please note that the Co-op is collecting interest from current members AND the climbing community at large.
