When most people think of rock climbing, they just think of going to East Park or Fleetway and having a little fun. But to some people it’s more than just climbing up a wall, it’s almost a way of life.
The Junction Climbing Centre is a massive climbing facility open to all who want to try out climbing. You’ll see kids trying it out for the first time, or people well into their 60’s making it look easy.
Junction Climbing Centre
Becca Manners and Erin Lyons are both staff members of the Junction Climbing Centre. Becca started working at Junction after university just to pay the bills, but working their turned into so much more for her.
“There’s such a great community surrounding it, so indoors or outdoors there’s so many cool people that are working together to solve projects” – Becca Manners
Indoor climbing is fun, but their real passion is climbing outdoors. Erin says she enjoys the feeling of the wind and being out in the open with everyone supporting her, she realizes how small we are in the world when she climbs outdoors.
I spoke with a man in his 60’s at Junction, climbing upside down like it was nothing. He told me ever since he and his wife started climbing his entire body has been healthier. Both he and his wife have arthritis in their hands and his wife has metal knees, but they can climb as well as most people in their prime.
Fanshawe Rock Wall
Fanshawe College also has a rock climbing wall in their brand new Wellness centre, available for all students to enjoy if they just want to have some fun, practice their passion, or just relieve some stress.
