PHOTO
Should Queenstown Events Centre’s indoor climbing wall be upgraded due to the heightened interest in the sport?
Queenstown Climbing Club president Guillaume Charton says "remarkably it has remained essentially unchanged for the past 27 years".
"During the last 20 years, climbing has experienced tremendous growth across the district, and internationally Queenstown is recognised as one of Australasia’s premier alpine destinations, and climbing is now an Olympic sport attracting thousands of participants of all ages.
"Yet despite this growth, the district’s only public climbing wall has seen little investment or development."
Charton says he appreciates there are other sports that would benefit from a leg-up, but he has made it clear to council his club is prepared to help out financially.
He also notes council is planning to add more courts, but those plans do not include a new wall or expansion of the current one.
Occupying a corner of a basketball corner, he believes it is no longer fit for purpose.
"It’s quite out of date for a town the size of Queenstown.
"The current facility no longer reflects the scale, popularity or potential of climbing within the Queenstown-Lakes district, nor the opportunities it offers for youth participation, community recreation and athlete development."
A council spokesperson says "whilst there are currently no plans to significantly develop the climbing wall, we have an ongoing investment programme to ensure it remains a safe, fun and challenging addition to the recreation facilities at Queenstown Events Centre".
"In recent years this has included the installation of a crack climbing feature in 2025 and, so far this year, an engineering structural audit of the wall and edge protection to increase its lifespan.
"In addition, holds are replaced and new routes created on a regular basis by our hard-working team of instructors."
