The ASI Poly Escapes Climbing Park will open on Oct. 6, after being closed due to construction on the west side of the Recreation Center, ASI spokesperson Dora Mountain said. The climbing park was closed for safety during the construction.
When it opens, the climbing park will be open on weekdays from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m, Mountain said.
Recreation, parks and tourism administration junior DD Salazar is excited about the opening. She hopes to be out there and that the weather is good for the opening.
“It’s a good space to get to know people and also just recreate for fun,” Salazar said. “With it being closed, it is kind of sucky not having another space to go to hang and learn a new skill as well.”
Livia Reiner, civil engineering senior and climbing park supervisor, said while the rock wall has been closed, the staff reset two major faces of the wall and scrubbed the wall.
“We are really excited to have some fresh routes up and to be starting a bunch of our beginner and intermediate programming once the wall opens,” Reiner said.
Cal Poly is repairing the Main Gym roof and is currently sealing the roof to prevent water intrusion as part of phase two of the Cal Poly Recreation Center Main Gym Roof Repair Project, Mountain said. After the roof is water-sealed, the next phase will begin next summer to address interior repairs from water intrusion, with the whole project projected to be completed fall 2026.
The scaffolding on the side of the Recreation Center helps crews get up to the roof.
Phase two of the project is expected to be done this fall quarter, Mountain said. The estimated budget for phase two of the project is $1.4 million.
Computer science master’s student Dylan Leifer-Ives used the climbing wall about once a week.
“I like going climbing pretty regularly and it’s annoying to go all the way out to The Pad and that costs money,” Leifer-Ives said. “Or going and finding rocks and bringing a crash pad.”
Nutrition sophomore Ellie Levine wants to use the rock wall with her friends and is excited for it to open back up.
“I think it is just really accessible,” Levine said. “It’s really inexpensive to rent shoes and it’s just really easy especially when you live on or near campus.”
Sean Lee, civil engineering senior and climbing wall supervisor, said he is excited for the rock wall to open because the freshman year class has not climbed at the wall yet.
“If you come, even if you are returning students, all the routes pretty much should be new to you, so hopefully that will be exciting,” Lee said.
