A Very Brief History
From a Tiny Pebble to a Really Large Boulder(s)
I know not how I may seem to others, but to myself I am but a small child wandering upon the vast shores of knowledge, every now and then finding a small bright pebble to content myself with" – Plato
It all started with a teacher at Stelly’s Secondary School who liked to climb, and saw climbing as a valuable teaching tool. In 1995, Peter Mason took his enthusiasm and some perseverance, and built a small climbing wall on the outside of the school gym.
That wall was eventually enclosed, and used for school lessons, a climbing club and a place for students to hang out after school. The “old gym” remains a great place for beginner climbers to learn and hone their skills. From 1995 to 2005, a lot of change occurred. The gym grew from a small group of teacher and student volunteers, and became incorporated as a not-for-profit society. Through an innovative partnership with school leadership and School District 63, the gym began to grow. In 2004, the Erratic, a hand-sculpted boulder, was built outside the gym for community use. A formal climbing team was started, with coaches Sebastian Powell and Kimanda Jarzebiak. The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia provided two-thirds of the funding to complete the first expansion of the Boulders Climbing Gym.
The Boulders
In 2005, the Boulders Climbing Gym Society officially opened the current facility, which added 4300 square feet of climbing terrain, to include a lead wall and a dedicated bouldering space. In the years since, the gym has become increasingly popular and hosts a range of user-groups from autism therapy programs and adaptive recreation, to youth programs with over 45 regular participants from schools around the Greater Victoria area. School use of the facility has also increased, with the addition of a Recreation Management class that provides Stellys’ students with the opportunity to introduce students from around the South Island to the sport of climbing.
Beyond the Boulders
The next phase of the Boulders is designed to join local demand with international quality. Our current facility, because of our size and height, can’t meet increasing demands. Our user groups often can’t get the space they want, and our climbers quickly outgrow the challenges of our 24 foot walls. Our goal is to raise just over $2 million dollars to build a facility that will allow our programs to grow, and our climbers to reach new heights. It will be the first facility of its kind in Canada, with challenging 60 feet/18 meter walls. The entire south-facing side of the facility will slide open to allow for spectators, and help with environmental and air quality challenges.