Climbing wall rebuilt at Motueka Recreation Centre

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HELEN MURDOCH
Katie Moulin, left, Luke Cunningham, Josh Leenhouwers, Dale Carter and Morgan Barker tackle the rebuilt Mot Rock climbing wall.
 

With two years of hard work refurbishing a sheer rock face complete the Motueka Recreation Centre once again welcomes  enthusiasts onto its rock climbing wall.

Centre manager Jody Maru said 20-year-old wall had been due a refresh. Some of the holds had comes loose, it needed a repaint and the  number of  climbs which could be created using the mobile holds was diminishing.

But it had taken two years for Maru, who had picked the project as her personal mission, to replace the T-screws securing the climbing holds and repaint the entire wall.

First, she had to sit her license to operate a scissor lift before she could even start work.

Then, with help of  some avid rock climbers, she  had to clamber inside the wall to  get to the screwheads.

"It was a mammoth task," Maru said.

With its sheers faces and overhangs and wall is  well-used by climbers, wanna-be climbers and those simply using it to get fit.

The wall was built in 1996/97 when the centre was managed by Karen Greenslade and Roger Coleman.  At the time Jon Anda raised $15,000 from the community and, with help from the Canterbury Community Trust, builder Neville Greaney was  given the job to erect the wall.

"It's been well-used over the years," Maru said.

Whenua-Iti Outdoor Education Centre, schools and climbers had made the most of the facility.

In 2004 Tasman District Council provided money to upgrade the T-screws and Network Tasman gave funds to upgrade the holds, carabinas and ropes.

With the current rebuild complete the wall will once again be open to learner  and skilled climbers and schools.

Maru said the recreation centre offered three climbing sessions a week - two afternoon sessions on Tuesday and Thursdays for schools and an evening  Thursday session for adults.

"People can  also come and do individual climbs and we can have  parties of climbers on the wall," she said.

The centre was also planning to hold a rock-climbing competition in the near future.