By Jody Jewers, Editor, The Sport Section
The Annapolis Valley Climbing Club is all about problem solving.
The club, founded in 2013, is a registered not for profit society in Nova Scotia, with locations inside the former Annapolis Royal Regional Academy (ARRA) and at West Kings District High School in Auburn, Kings County. Its primary focus at launch was developing youth climbers and coaches but since the opening of the Academy Loft Climbing Gym at the former ARRA location in 2017, it has sought to grow the sport among the local community.
The indoor bouldering club offers adult and community climb nights as well as an after school climbing program. Indoor bouldering differs from traditional climbing in that it does not use ropes, helmets, harnesses or safety gear. Participants climb a 15-foot wall that offers several routes, referred to as problems, that are more puzzle-like and allow for more dynamic types of movement, with crash pads or mats available to cushion falls.
Maddi Dobbie has been a member of the club since 2023, and its secretary-treasurer since last summer. When she and her husband joined, they could see the mats the club was using were nearing the end of their lifespan.
“We have a little cave section, and those mats were purchased when the club was founded in 2013, and those had started deteriorating,” says Maddi. “And those weren’t bouldering-specific mats, they were just foam mats that we were able to find. We had ones for two other pieces of our wall that people who had started the club had made, and those were starting to fall apart and become a big safety liability.”
Maddi reached out to Sport Nova Scotia’s Valley Regional Sport Consultant to discuss the Sport Fund grant. Through those conversations an application was submitted and approved to help purchase new mats, straps and Velcro from World Mat Gym in Montreal.
Maddi says the club partners with other organizations in the Annapolis Valley, such as Include Me! — a volunteer group that provides support, community and inclusive opportunities for neurodivergent children, teens and adults and their families — as well as Beavers, Scouts and Girl Guides. The club has also been offering women’s nights in the past year and is looking at teaching people to become bouldering coaches.
“Climbing is a pretty male-dominated sport, so this offers a chance for any women who might be interested to come in, try it out, receive a bit of coaching and not feel intimidated,” Maddi explains.
The drop-in program does not require reservations and costs $5 per person or $10 for a family. Shoes and chalk are provided.
The club operates during the fall and winter and goes on hiatus during the warmer months. The routes are changed every couple weeks to freshen up problem solving. The club has about 15 members, ranging in age from late teens to mid-40s, and is always on the lookout for more.
To learn more about the Annapolis Valley Climbling Club, visit annapolisvalleyclimbingclub.wordpress.com.
