Climbing wall in Moncton?

[thicks]

We used to have a couch. it got filled with chalk and dust and mites and crap and it was disgusting.

Please dont ever disrespect the beautiful red couch again. I miss it. It was so red.... and... beautiful....

[martha]

did you ever wonder why we all had terrible skin rashes?

[thicks]

what do you mean 'had'?

And I never got a rash from that couch, although it could have done with a vacumin every now and then, I admit.

[martha]

I think if we had tried to vaccuum that couch it would have disintegrated in front of our eyes. Man that thing was soooooooooo gross.

Now, a leather couch that doesn't absorb chalk...that might work. and we could just wipe the cooties away right?

[dcentral]

Just be classy and cover it in plastic.

[Paddlerx]

wow. this thread woke me up better than coffee! nice.

Dean, you mention your hoping for a Dieppe location, well i know that we are looking for a location to host our spin classes for cycling too. WE used to have the fit deck, but that's died. I have no idea on the space your considering but if it had enough, we'd pay you to allow us to bring some trainers/road bikes in and spin to a tv/dvd. Good cross promotion too (cyclists are often multidiscipline athletes). I also know Luc Arseneau is looking for strength and team building programs for his elite cyclists during the training camps he holds in dieppe.

Go to the Pepsi cup (this year its the Mikes bike shop series though) series in dieppe. offer to provide some draw prizes (free sessions/memberships etc) to the kids. they have over 150 kids per night and its oversold. its a perfect crossover/complimentary sport (parents/kids/friends show up there....400 people on some nights...truely insane). Luc would be all over that.

Consider movie nights too? Climbing films etc.
did anyone mention retail sales? MEC is 2.5 hrs away though is the only thing. Moncton is notoriously cheap (not like f'ton where radical does very well), so product would have to be on par with MEC for the most part. Maybe find blowout/factory sell offs or something

I'm in without doubt regardless. Good news!

don.

[JC]

don you are clearly the man.

excelent points

-Jeremy

[dcentral]

Selling gear, other then t-shirts and chalk bags at gyms rarely works. It's a large capitol investment, and it can take a lot of time. Stocking shoes to sell is hard because you have to carry so many sizes and multiples of each pair. Plus fitting a person with a pair of shoes can take an hour no problem. Which can be difficult to afford when you've got a gym to run as well.

Plus no one really goes to a climbing gym to buy gear.

[Pierre]

Selling gear, other then t-shirts and chalk bags at gyms rarely works

.

I think it depends on the area... In Moncton there is no place I know of that you can buy climbing gear. Moncton doesn't even have an outdoor gear stores. So a climbing gym might have to fill that void or at the very least sell shoes and harnesses.

Another thought would be for climbing gym owners to get a sporting goods store to carry minimal climbing gear like shoes and harnesses.

[Pierre]

One of the major expenses $$$ you need to look at is padding. You may have overlooked this. Talk to other commercial gyms and find out the best systems.

The flooring is definately an important component of a climbing gym. I've been in several climbing gyms recently and the flooring is definately something you notice. I think it's very important for first impression.

[dcentral]

Selling gear, other then t-shirts and chalk bags at gyms rarely works

.

I think it depends on the area... In Moncton there is no place I know of that you can buy climbing gear. Moncton doesn't even have an outdoor gear stores. So a climbing gym might have to fill that void or at the very least sell shoes and harnesses.

Well you can think about it this way, if Moncton is notoriously cheap and there isn't much of a culture for it you'd probably want to put retail sales on the backburner till you develop the market.

Other wise you would have to stock of the more expensive gear to support the few climbers who want to buy gear, and that would be a lot of capital to invest on few people.

Climbing specific gear is really hard to stock. Currently there's only one store in Victoira that sells climbing gear now. All the others got out of it -- that's mostly due to the fact that MEC is coming in the spring.

But for the gym here which is the only one in town and has a good solid base of client. It's not worth it for them too sell much gear. They sell clothes chalk balls and bouldering pads. But they don't expect to make a lot off of it. You would be better off getting a store to stock it.

[thicks]

There might not be a reason to jump right into selling climbing gear, i think the point of the suggestion is simply the possibility of it as an extra source of income to support the gym. Might as well get the idea out there. There is no reason to rule out the idea. Hell you might make money selling cigarettes at the gym for all any of us know, and if you have to sell smokes to keep the gym open, well then sell the friggin smokes.

[dcentral]

Being the maritimes, you'd probably be better off putting a tim hortons in the back.

[thicks]

LOL - too friggin true.
(franchise licenses start around 250k though....)

[dcentral]

Prolly easier to get a loan for thought.

[clips]

Hey, Dean;

Ya, i'm interested! How far have you gotten w/ the City of Dieppe? I'm anxious to gym in Moncton area. Do you have a time line / date of when you feel you may open? Moncton is ready for a gym of good caliber. Would like to know more details, and if i can help. Clips.

[DeanO]

Last I've heard was that the building is still in the design phase. I believe construction starts this summer. It's hard to say at this point when the gym will be up and running.

It's been a long wait.... I'm hoping to hear more details on the building soon.

I'll keep everyone posted as soon as I get some news.

I'm going to work hard to have this place done right.

later

Dean

[Pierre]

DeanO

Thanks for the update and the hard work you've done so far. I keep hoping that this becomes reality. I'm looking forward to having a spot close to home to climb frequently.

I'm almost at the point of building my own home woodie... but not sure if it's worth it.

Pierre

[Poser]

Dean, I have been wanting to build a wall here for years. It was a shame to see the Dieppe wall close. You are obviously going about this in the proper fashion, but a wall of any caliber would be amazing. If I can help, just let me know. I think I would make an excellent water boy.

Nathan

[jayob]

hi ppl i think a gym in moncton/dieppe would be great we climb about 4times a week sometimes more if we can i meen u can only climb woody at centenial park somany times and driving to freedy is ok but to do the sport u love we need a gym in are own town anyway keep up the good work and I DEFINITELY VOTE YES YES YES YES YES YES YES FOR A GYM IN MONCTON OR DIEPPE
cheers jayob!

[thicks]

I like the energy! I am sure moncton will support the gym. Dean if you need help, with anything let us know.
(us as in my several personalities...)

Tyler

[Pierre]

moncton/dieppe would be great we climb about 4times a week sometimes more if we can i meen u can only climb woody at centenial park somany times

Wow I'm impressed I didn't realize the Cent Woodie got used that much. I personally would get bored of the Cent Woodie after a couple times in a year, can't imagine the dedication it would take to climb that wall more regularly.

Maybe with all the climbers in Moncton/Dieppe and River View we should start a climbing club or a climbing coop.

At the very least, organize a car pool on a regular bases to various climbing destinations would be nice. ( Indoor or outdoor )

If any others are interested.. I'm game for it!

[Fred]

just an idea but... a friend who used to live in MOntreal built a wall with a partnership. Thus, you don't need to worry about insurance because it's not commercial. Only members can climb so it doesn't get crowded. Get 10-20 people together and you'd be surprised what kind of monthly rent you can come up with.

[jayob]

I would be willing to do a car pool to various climbing gym(or outdoor sites) and i know atleast 6-7 more ppl that would come fore sure and more...... anyway im out
cheers JaYoB

[Pierre]

Jayob with numbers like that maybe a short bus is needed.

I make a fair amount trips to various places and am willing to share rides with ppl if there is interest.

Later

[Meej]

I'm liking Fred's suggestion... that is, if the Dieppe gym is a no go.

Meej

[martha]

Jayob with numbers like that maybe a short bus is needed.

hahaha.....

umm... a short bus? are you sure you guys should be climbing?

[jayob]

LOL.............

[Meej]

Dean,
How about an update on the moncton gym?

Cheers bud,
Mark