I often get requests from newbies wanting to join a climbing gym near Pretoria / Gauteng ?
What are the options and is the gym safe for someone who has never climbed before?
Cant believe I even have to ask that question!

And... if anyone were to start a good & proper climbing gym up there, I think you could make some good money

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Pretoria there is the Barn out in Pretoria East which is pretty good. There is help there for beginers. In Joburg there is Kya Sands which is pretty lame.

It is really weird that there is not a kick ass big gym in Joburg, it would do well. It would also be the easiest way to develop the scene up north as to be honest its pretty much non-existent. There really arent any decent climbers here; by that I mean 8a sport, 27 trad, 7C boulder. Put up a good wall and there would a bea few withn a year. Shame the MCSA doesnt see the opporunities, one gym would equal a thousand beginners meets. Would need about 3 million rand I am guessing.

Is PTA East a suburb? Can we narrow it down a bit.

To narrow things down abit, the Barn is a bit hard to find, and the best way to find it is to get hold of Paul, the guy who runs the place. His number is 0823353220. We would appreciate the support out there, with just a couple of regulars when time allows, makeing use of the gym. It really is worth it and the guys are really great when it comes too helping beginers out. Enjoy

This should help you find your way - www.climbingbarn.co.za/map.php

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Climb ZA - Administrator

Hi guys
We are aware the the Barn is a bit out of the way and a bit difficult to find and so have been looking to move it to an area where it would attract both jhb and pta climbers (like midrand for example) and hopefully boost the sport in both these areas. It has, however, been quite a stress to find suitable land and buildings so for the moment the Barn is staying put.
The good news is that things seem to be developing that way (ie. from silverlakes towards the Barn) so in a few years time the roads should be better and maybe they will finally let us sign post the place.
As mentioned earlier, the best thing is to phone Paul for directions or to look up the map on www.climbingbarn.co.za. See you there.

Plans are in the woodwork... nothing 100% solid yet. But hopefully soonish.

Ha Andrew P, you cheeky blighter! If you weren't such a hotshot everyone in the general area would give you a hiding for being so rude about them. Still people of your ilk tend to say things like that...like it's a sin to be average & to imply that all climbers in the area are crap!

Still you can show the way!

The real issue is that Kyasands is not where beginners should go without someone experienced to watch over them...& even then they cannot GUARANTEE their safety. Ok, enough already about Kyasands. I am sure that soon something will become a viable entity...we must just ensure it doesn't degrade to the condition of Kyasands if we can help it.

Andrew P is spot on though; the MCSA should be involved in a big way...this would guarantee a form of standards & they could look out for the best interests for the climber (& the gym). So please mr prospective gym owner, consider this as it would benefit everyone in terms of open & transparent communications & relations in the Gauteng area. We don't want to get all bitter & twisted like some others...

(I suspect they will respond to that...the bitter & Twisted).

So lets see this super gym & the subsequent super climbers that will result!

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It's not that bad...
I think it's my shoes...

There has been some talk about Wits expanding their wall.

Also some talk about something in Fourways. (in conjunction with Snowscape).

Re the MCSA becoming involved.
- for the Wits wall the MCSA JHB has indicated it would provide financial support, (as it did about 10yrs ago but Wits never got it going.)

- when Urban Crag decided to close shop the MCSA debated whether it should take this over, but decided against it.

I think there are a few simple reasons why the MCSA has not become involved including: the MCSA does just not have the personnel resources to not only get the project off the ground, but also to be involved in the running of it; the MCSA is a non-profit organisation and running something like a climbing gym would change this status which would have a number of ramifications.

There seem to be a number of gyms that have started up quite successfully without the MCSA's hand (like CityRock), so if there is money to be made, why don't similar minded people do such in JHB/PTA?

It has been stated several times that the wall at WITS will be a \"competition\" wall,so do not hold your breath for something everyone can use...probably only the likes of Andrew P

If the MCSA are willing to pay rent for a wall (like St Peters) then surely they could be key players in ensuring a wall actually happens & is run along good guidelines, even if they \"only \" rented space to use for climbing & possibly could encourage sponsors like Black Diamond & Montrail to help with getting the thing running.

Besides which, think of all those \"poor, volunteer\" members of the MCSA in Joburg who have wasted money on contracts with the aforementioned disasterous Kyasands gym. Don't you think they would invest the same kind of money in contracts that would actually get them something. No doubt all the people who want to train would scrape together the funds to be part of this, whether through the MCSA or a private gym.

Anyway the MCSA can either remain minimal on cost, low profile & voluntary or decide it is going to be a major player (which it probably should be) & get involved in something like this, which gives it the visibility it needs & involves all those sport climbers out there- instead of being seen as a few traddies who hide in the kloofs.

The time is coming when this action will be too late & someone will start the equivalent of \"Virgin Active\" for climbers & everyone will be involved except the MCSA. Then being mimimalist will mean being marginalised...

Hope you haven't all gone to sleep. Now how do I get off this soapbox...

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It's not that bad...
I think it's my shoes...

You're not too far off the mark there Old Smelly. Overseas climbing gyms are part of \"Virgin active\" type gyms and recently there was someone interested in opening something of the sort in the Woodhill area. Haven't heard anything about it since.

We were discussing the building of climbing walls at Boven last week and we all agreed that if a public wall is to built it should be designed by professionals so that the maximum benefit can be derived from the wall and flaws can be avoided.

e.g. the wall at Somerset wall can never be used for difficulty comps as it is too featured.

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Climb ZA - Administrator

I think one of the problems with most of the walls that have been built in JHB/PTA is that they are never the \"main feature\" or that they are far away from everyone. Like there is a bit of space left, why not put up climbing wall. Rental is cheaper out in the styx, let's put up a wall there. Or it is too expensive to build the whole structure, so let's find a disused warehouse which will be ok.

Maybe one of the problems in JHB/PTA is that there is no one good place because it is such a sprawling metropolis. Then again, something like Waverley wouldn't be at all bad. Could one get council approval?

It also makes me rather grumpy that stores like Cape Union Mart will lash out big bucks for a featured wall in their shops which nobody ever uses because it looks good, but haven't indicated that they would come to the party to build a serious wall.

So maybe the plan is for someone with some business savvy to find a good location, set up a business plan, get investors (one of which may be the MCSA) and get a proper facility going.

CityROCK in cape town has been going strong for 3 1/2 years. there's been talk of a real gym in jo'burg for years. if someone is truly serious about investing in/building/operating a real climbing gym in jo'burg do let us know. we would be very interested in being part of such a venture. but it's impossible for us to do it without a businessperson/owner on the ground. and yes the MCSA ought to really think about this because without a gym the future of the sport of rock climbing in gauteng looks pretty bleak. robert breyer, cityrock indoor climbing, cape town.

hey guys

I know that the barn is too far out for most of you to get to, what we have been looking at is building a new warehouse, designed for a climbing gym, somewhere in centurion, our biggest poblem is of course cash, after reading this forum, and chatting to a bunch of climbers at the rocrally, im sure that if we were able to come up with the capital to start this new gym it would be a huge success, so what im asking is from all who reads this to consider ideas, investers, and basicly what you guys would want from a gym and post it either on this forum or alternativly email me at thebarn@webmail.co.za

Paul Bruyere
Manager
The Climbing Barn