The air smelled of chalk and the soft floor sank beneath thefeet of the people gathered to witness the opening of theUniversity Recreational Center’s new indoor climbing gym.
Before the ribbon-cutting portion of the ceremony, severalspeakers took the podium, including Tamara Jarrett, director ofRecreational Sports, Neil Mathews, vice chancellor of student lifeand academic affairs and Brad Golson, Student Governmentpresident.
Jarrett acknowledged the Climbing Gym Advisory Committee for”making this all happen.” The committee includes members of theOutdoor Recreational Club and staff at the Recreational Center.
Jarrett congratulated the student body for requesting the gymthree years ago and said the ceremony showed that “dreams do cometrue.” She called the new facility “another step towardexcellence.”
The indoor climbing gym has been under construction for the pastfew months, but the project’s conception began more than threeyears ago.
Golson, who wore a climbing harness over his shirt, tie andslacks, said the new climbing gym helped fulfill the University’smission to nurture both the body and the mind.
Mathews talked about the various improvements now in progress atthe University and said the new gym were student fees inaction.
“This project takes us, shall we say, to a new height,” Mathewssaid.
After the speeches, Golson climbed halfway up the new climbingwall and cut the large purple ribbon which stretched from bothsides.
The University spent $202,000 to build the new gym, said MelissaLongino, assistant director of recreational sports.
The University hired Scott Zimmerman, an outdoor recreationalexpert, to train student workers and lay out climbing routes on thewalls, Longino said.
Jarrett, who only has worked at the University since June 1,said she loves her new job and the projects at the RecreationalCenter held great appeal for her.
“I have opened new rec centers everywhere,” Jarrett said. “Ican’t wait to help make this one everything it can be.”
The new gym has raised fee prices at the Recreational Center,but costs to climb still are lower than those at other universitiesand climbing gyms.
Until Nov. 4, students can climb for their first time for freeand pay $3 for each additional climb, Jarrett said. After that, theprice will go up but general specials will continue to make rockclimbing affordable.