The ribbon has been cut and the carabiners clipped into place at a new $250,000 all-weather climbing structure at outdoor education centre Whenua Iti.
The nine-metre high facility, which features three covered walls over a raised platform, was officially opened during a ceremony on Wednesday, 11 February.
The Whenua Iti team reports that the climbing centre was developed to support growing demand for high quality outdoor climbing experiences across its programmes, while also laying the groundwork for wider community access in the future.
It has been designed to provide shelter from the elements, replace ageing wooden climbing surfaces with modern holds and enable routes to be easily changed to suit a wide range of abilities. The design also includes multiple top rope anchors so several climbers can be on the wall at once, with the option to add lead climbing routes for more advanced participants.
Chief executive Mark Bruce-Miller says the “gem of an idea” has been percolating for several years. The centre’s existing wooden abseil tower, which has been in frequent use for most of Whenua Iti’s 40-year history, can only be used in settled weather. Originally, the interior of that space was earmarked for an indoor climbing space, but thanks to the involvement of Tūpiki Trust, Mark says the idea was able to get “a little bit bigger”.
The trust, which exists to foster and support climbing in New Zealand, was one of the project’s funders, along with Tasman District Council, the Lotteries Commission through the Department of Internal Affairs, the Whenua Iti Outdoors Trust and private donors.
Mark says outdoor learning does not stop when the weather turns.
“This facility allows us to deliver high-quality climbing experiences consistently, regardless of conditions,” he says. “That reliability matters for our schools, our participants and our staff. This new facility means our programmes can keep their momentum rather than being compromised by rain or wind.”
Stage two of the project will include fitting out the two remaining internal walls. Whenua Iti is also hoping to add extra shade sails outside in the coming years to support spectators and group use. Funding is currently being sought to complete this next phase.
Mark says they are also working through the logistics of making the space accessible to the wider community, initially through a series of open days.
Tasman deputy mayor Brent Maru told the gathered crowd that Whenua Iti was “an incredible place – a place where you had 4500 young people through here last year to experience a different kind of learning”.
Among the first to harness up and give the new structure a go was Whenua Iti founder Hazel Nash, who at 77 made short work of the wall.
She says it was great to be back at the centre to see what “wonderful hands it’s in”.
“The team, the board and the staff are just such wonderful people, and they have the spirit to lead others to be immersed in nature and the outdoors.”
