Erie News Now was first to report that Ascend Climbing, is working with EDDC to develop a climbing gym for downtown Erie. It will be the anchor tenant located in the new five story building planned for 5th and State Streets.
Ascend is a growing climbing gym company with a facility in Pittsburgh's South Side, with another location in Youngstown, Ohio, and a second Pittsburgh location planned for the Point Breeze neighborhood.
Erie News Now visited the Pittsburgh location to check out what they have to offer. Paul Guarino a co-founder and director for marketing and development showed us "the ropes. "Well what we're seeing in the background here is uh what we call bouldering which is climbing 10 to 15 feet without ropes and you use pads to mitigate the risk of injury or you down climb. But then also yeah most people are familiar with rope climbing where you wear a harness and climb up...so we offer both of those types of climbing at our facilities," Guarino said.
With 26-thousand square feet of climbing gym coming to the first two floors of the new 5 story EDDC development at 5th and State, the facility will offer a mix of climbing walls for roped climbing, bouldering, training and group use, and they'll add a three story climbing wall extending up into the 3rd floor.
David Bonner, managing partner of ClimbErie, a local group dreaming of developing an Erie climbing gym for years is excited to see it happening and is collaborating with the business. "I am extremely excited to have a brand as well run, and climbing gym company as great as Ascend it's going to be a great asset to the Erie community," Bonner said.
The gym will include cardio, fitness and yoga facilities too, but as proof that the main climbing facilities are for anyone, we saw a kids camp climbing high, and I, while reporting for this story gave the wall a try. With ropes, and wearing special shoes, I made it all the way to the top.
Katrina Scott, a young woman working on the bouldering climbs told us she's new to the sport, but she's already hooked. "I got a bunch of climbing gear for Christmas and I was looking for a new hobby to take up so I tried out Ascend and I really loved it, I've been here like five times now and I'm definitely addicted," Scott said.
EDDC officials and Ascend see Ascend Erie as fitness for people who already live and work downtown, and for future residents of the new living spaces under development, but they believe it will be an attraction for families and tourists too.
Guarino and his partners say Ascend is excited to be designing the Erie location from the ground up. "So it's in a totally different way of designing a gym for us, it's very exciting and we are just stoked to bring it to Erie," Guarino said.
Erie News Now asked how many jobs will be created by Ascend Erie. Guarino said they anticipate hiring about 100 people --25 full and 75 part time positions. With construction on the building expected to start later this year, the climbing gym should be ready to open for members and visitors in 2023.