Hi TF people
As most of you know I spend alot of time climbing nowadays (there is photographic evidence I still ride though) down in Swansea with the university. Im in my final weeks of my masters degree and typically a chance for out climbing wall to get refurbished has come about. If this goes ahead Ill probably never climb it, but it would be a massive benefit to our club and university, as a striking climbing wall in the corner of our sports hall with brightly coloured holds would attract many more students/climbers to the area.
I was president of the club last year, so I got the hang of writing long emails. Ill make this as easy as I can for you.
****Background - Don't need to read this bit if you don't care that much****
Swansea University Mountaineering Club (SUMC) has a logbook which is passed down through the club committees and dates back to 1974. Back then things were different and the university wall we have was for training rather than teaching - its hard unless you're already a fairly established climber. Its like being thrown into an expert class trials comp after you've been riding for 9 months. Now 40 years on, people at the university are mostly joining SUMC to give it a go and see if the like it, but instead are met by total failure and misery due to the severity of the wall. If you can remember to back when you first learnt trials and learnt how to pedal hop, imagine it taking twice as long to do it. Would you still have carried on despite failing? Unfortunately for us, the answer is very often 'no' and many people never come back because the uni wall is their first taster session of climbing (as its free) and never get to climb outside, or inside at our other local climbing gym. Our other climbing gym isn't as popular as the uni wall in the first few weeks of the year because it costs us a whopping £10 per person for travel and entry. Again, imagine if you're told that climbing will cost you £10 a week, I think you'd be quite put off by that! (this does reduce as term goes on but freshers dont stick around to see this)
**********************
****Whats wrong with the uni wall - Don't need to read this bit if you don't care that much****
As mentioned, the uni wall currently is an old school training facility.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5MbhQZ45hP9ZDBlNGQyYTEtZGU0MS00NjUzLTg4NDQtMTMyNzE4NDdmODU2/edit?usp=sharing
Because the wall has seen 40 years of traffic without a break the holds have become incredible polished (the effect of rubber wearing down rock to a smooth glossy finish). Now ask yourself whats easier to hold onto: a rough surface or a polished surface?
Throughout the years, some of the holds have broken off again due to the traffic so what were once crucial holds are now useless fragments. Starting to see the problems?
Also health and safety 40 years ago wasn't the same, and the bolts and belays that are in the wall are...well...questionable. Traditional climbing is always dangerous, but climbing indoors shouldn't be on the same scale. The refurb will also be updating these to modern day standards
*************************
****What the Mars Milk fund will help with - Don't need to read, but you may want to****
Obviously refurbing a wall doesn't cost £300. More like £3000. Half of this will be funded by the sports centre (where the wall is) and some may be funded by university athletic union. Anything remaining comes from us! So any help we can get with this is needed. SUMC will be losing a lot of experianced outdoor leaders this year, so club funding will also have to cover the correct training for new members (to oversee freshers outdoors).
The refurb of the wall will include adding threaded units into the wall and fixing in place with resin at numerous locations. A variety of holds will be bought so that we can create our own routes on the wall so that freshers can get to the top! Although this is the main reason, the university bouldering team also need to train, and the refurb will help them with specific moves too. The wall will also attract attention from potential investors and prospective students looking at the facilities in the sports centre.
Finally, the refurb will update the belays that are on the wall to accomodate two, secure bolts (rather than one) and a standard lower off similar to climbing walls. This will also help teaching to lead climb outside.
****************************
****Your help - TLDR version, please read this bit****
Click here and put in your date of birth (you must be over 13 to vote). Have a read of our plea by current president Charlotte or just click the vote button on the right (its not that obvious to be honest, its near the facebook 'like' button). Simple as that, and thank you!
If we win, I'll bump this thread up once the work is done and put some pictures into it so you can compare. Despite not being in the club after this year, Im very excited to know that this could be going ahead.
Thanks for reading this and your time
Matt Ev
