Grad student pushes for approval of on-campus climbing wall
By Thea Neal (Last updated: 11/23/08 7:44pm)MSU could see a climbing wall in its future — at least if rock lovers can get to the top.
ASMSU’s Student Assembly policy committee will advocate for an indoor rock climbing facility, as voted unanimously on Thursday. Geological sciences graduate student Matthew Malkowski has spent the last year gathering a location and appraisals for a wall at MSU.
Malkowski had two separate campus locations appraised by Nicros, a climbing wall manufacturer. One type of wall would be a “climbing tower” and would feature belayers and a 30-foot wall. It would be housed at Demonstration Hall and was appraised to cost $275,000.
The other design would not feature harnesses, but rather a soft floor to cushion falls. It would be located at IM Sports-West and would replace two racquetball courts. Nicros appraised that climbing wall at $375,000.
Both IM Sports-West and Demonstration Hall already have approved of the spaces being used, Malkowski said. The estimates are “turn-key,” meaning they account for all changes, including demolition. He said the walls will likely cost less.
“The realistic cost is probably a lot less than that,” he said. “We don’t necessarily need the ‘Cadillac version.’”
ASMSU is MSU’s undergraduate student government.
Of the two wall ideas, the climbing tower choice is more enticing, Malkowski said.
Malkowski said MSU faces a major disadvantage as the only major Michigan college without a rock wall. University of Michigan, Central Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Michigan Technological University, Wayne State University and Calvin College all have rock walls.
Policy committee members weren’t hesitant to pass the bill, specifically because it didn’t ask for any money from ASMSU, but instead just support for the potential project. College of Social Science representative Ben Morlock said that since it wasn’t demanding funds, it made sense to support the bill.
The bill will not be voted on by Student Assembly’s full assembly until the spring semester.
Malkowski said he realized it is currently “one of the worst times to ask for a ‘new toy,’” but said the wall would “benefit students for the next five or six decades.” He added that some students have even taken to climbing on campus building exteriors.
“People like to climb on the Chemistry Building because of its natural rock features,” he said. “Because there’s nothing else to climb on.”
Originally Published: 11/23/08 7:32pm
student
11/23/08 8:55pmI think it is dumb. But I might think that because I don’t climb. Well, if MSU gives you the money, get the wall.
Nick K.
11/24/08 8:05amIt’s kinda odd that the lack of a climbing is a “major disatvantage” to the university… I would imagine that other things like, the lack of a good IM facility, descent pools, or technology that is past its prime would be bigger disatvantages…
Scott
11/24/08 12:10pmI agree with Nick K. That money could be spent on something else at the IM buildings. There is natural climbing in Grand Ledge just a few minutes away from campus. I doubt the other universities in Michigan have natural formations that close. Someone could go to Dick’s in the Meridian Mall if they want to climb inside.
Zack K
11/24/08 12:56pmSome of the best climbing facilities in michigan are located extremely close to michigan campuses. For example, ‘Planet Rock’, arguably the best facility in michigan, is located IN Ann Arbor. The University of Michigan still found value in having their own campus facility. ‘Higher Ground’ and ‘Inside Moves’ are in Grand Rapids, though Grand Valley University still decided that a campus wall was important.
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Different Matt
11/24/08 1:04pmWe spent how many millions of dollars on that donors pavilion outside of Old Horticulture? The needless construction that goes on all of the time? A climbing wall would directly benefit students here for generations to come. The cost of a wall is tiny. Frankly, it’s humiliating that U of M in Dearborn and Calvin College have climbing walls, and the largest university in the state has nothing.
And Grand Ledge, while great, cannot support hundreds of climbers for years to come. Erosion is a serious problem and this wall will help reduce that strain on the Ledges.
Eric
11/24/08 1:16pmGrand Ledge isn’t accessible in the winter, whereas a climbing wall is. I did my first degree up at Michigan Tech, and we had some of the best natural climbing in the state (both rock AND ice climbing) within a half hours drive, but still loved to go up to the wall to hone our skills. Pulling on plastic and climbing outdoors is like night and day. Inside plastic can be a great social activity, and was a huge reason why I almost didn’t come to MSU in the first place. It’s abhorible that MSU took this long to get a wall built.
OMG
11/24/08 2:48pmI doubt the other universities in Michigan have natural formations that close.
You have to be kidding me! Did you fail geography? The UP, particularly the western half, is littered with natural climbing formations. Both Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan are both within short driving distance of some of the best climbing you’re going to find in Michigan.
Emi
11/25/08 12:44pmEveryone who is commenting on how “close” other climbing gyms and natural rock formations are seem to have lost all sense of scale. The UP is a several-hour drive from campus and requires having your own car and your own equipment for climbing. It is not feasible unless you are making a weekend trip out of it; hardly a good plan unless you are already experienced at climbing or happen to know experienced friends.
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Matt M
11/25/08 3:21pmI would like to respond to the first three posts: student, Nick K., and scott because they bring up some valid points.
student: You are right… not everyone at this university climbs or is interested and I respect that. This is not intended to be a perfect proposal to meet the demands of all students. Then again, not everyone works out, but the university still justifies renevating workout facilities; not everyone listens to hip-hop/pop music but asmsu still justifies “free” concerts; not everyone reads the State News, but MSU justifies charging every student an State News tax.
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OMG
11/25/08 6:33pm“The UP is a several-hour drive from campus and requires having your own car and your own equipment for climbing.”
The UP is several hours away? Well no shit Einstein. If you actually read what Eric and I posted I think you would have realized that we were responding to an earlier post proclaiming that the poster thought MSU is closer to natural climbing than any university in the state. That’s the only reason it was brought up. It was not my intent nor Eric’s, judging from his post, to put down the idea of a climbing wall. Personally I think its a wonderful idea and would be an excellent way to introduce people to the sport.
Zack K
11/25/08 8:08pmIn my earlier post I was trying to demonstrate that even though “other” universities are close to natural or man-made climbing facilities, they still found value in having their own. This was to show that even though grand ledge is close to us, there still are many reasons to have a wall on the MSU campus, which the other posts here have demonstrated well. I feel like Emi didn’t understand what I was trying to say, but Emi did bring up some very important points.