£200k boost to build ‘climber’s paradise’
State-of-the-art centre set for Perth College UHI
Pictured, from left, are Alex Maciver, Lewis Steele, Kirstin Steele, Chloe Billimore and Cameron Shaw A new Perth sports facility set to open early in the new year has received a significant financial boost.
Perth College UHI has been awarded £200,000 from sportscotland to house Scotland’s newest indoor climbing facility within its new Academy of Sport and Wellbeing.
Designed, manufactured and installed by local company Dream Climbing Walls, the new climbing centre will be suitable for both new and experienced climbers, as well as performance climbing athletes.
A spokesperson explained those using the facility will be met with “a feast of unusual and striking features” inspired by iconic Scottish rock climbing venues.
Perth College UHI principal Margaret Munckton declared: “We are delighted to have received such a significant contribution from sportscotland’s sport facilities fund for the development of our Perth College Climbing Centre, greatly enhancing the student experience here at Perth.
“It is the first centre of excellence purpose-built to meet the Climb Scotland Level One facility development strategy.
“It is at the heart of our new academy to prepare our students for employment, while also increasing participation in sport.”
Dream Climbing Walls owner Scott Muir described the centre – set to open in January – as a “significant development” in the Scottish climbing scene.
He described the project as “a visual explosion of vertical walls, slabs, overhangs, soaring curved and stepped aretes, a flared chimney, bomb bay corners and flying grooves await – all subtly and aesthetically merged to create an indoor climber’s paradise.”
Mr Muir continued: “In addition to offering more than 90 different climbing routes of varying grades, Perth College Climbing Centre also boasts a challenging bouldering wall with over 40 set problems and training circuits.
“A unique feature of the bouldering wall is a massive suspended horizontal overhang which allows climbers to boulder upside down.
“A dedicated training zone has campus rungs, circuits, hemispheres, beastmakers and other training aids to help climbers strengthen forearms, shoulders and fingers, all essential for good climbing.
“My team and I loved bringing this project to reality with Perth College UHI. It is very significant development for Scottish climbing at time when climbing has just become an Olympic sport with integration into Tokyo’s Summer 2020 Olympics.
“We are fortunate as a nation to have some fantastic talent and excellent climbing facilities that are developing recreational climbers and the superstars of the future.
“We hope that visitors and users have a fantastic time exploring this exciting climbing venue.”
Sportscotland chief executive Stewart Harris commented: “We pride ourselves on being able to support facilities that are committed to enhancing sporting experiences.
“Officially declared a new Olympic sport by the International Olympic Committee, it’s encouraging to see that climbing is being recognised as a ‘tier one’ sport.
“This new facility will help develop and increase participation at all levels of the sport, also catering for para climbers.”