Time-lapse: world’s first community-owned commons climbing gym is close to reality

The world’s first community-owned, commons climbing gym is soon to be opened to the public. It will be a flagship for commons models (around finance, governance, asset locking and federation) that are being trialled in Stroud, UK. Here’s an update by Chik Shimasaki who brought together the Climbing Commons team in Stroud.

Chik is part of Stroud Commons, where we’re leading with housing commons. An enthusiastic climber, but with no facility in Stroud, Chik saw that the commons tools that are being developed and implemented in Stroud could be used to build a community-owned climbing gym. You can also see an interview with him about the concept here. Over to Chik:

Stroud’s new climbing facility is gearing up for a New Year’s debut. After a few months navigating the complex world of lease agreements and with the help and support from the team at Brimscombe Mill, we’ve finally broken through the red tape.

Our incredible build team has been burning the midnight oil, taking precious time off from their day jobs to transform our space. Walls are going up, and the dream of a community-owned climbing space in Stroud is becoming a reality. This week the survey for our all-important safety matting will be completed, with a delivery scheduled for December. There have been some hold-ups, but here’s a time-lapse video of some of the recent work, done by volunteers and expectant climbers:

The festive season at Climbing Commons will be all about the finishing touches. Setting routes, the entry system, developing a smooth induction process to welcome you all, and of course testing the facility to its limits. So we’re getting ready for a soft opening for our members early in the new year, with a public opening soon after. We can’t wait to welcome everybody to our new climbing gym.

We’ll provide:

• an affordable indoor bouldering facility of 70-100 square metres.

• regular public events for the community.

• safe and secure access to the facility.

  

The idea

We’re a growing Stroud community initiative, with a goal of making an accessible climbing gym. We’re mums and dads, climbing enthusiasts and community members from Stroud. The core group includes engineers, architects, makers and researchers. Our aims are to provide affordable, accessible climbing opportunities, minimise environmental impact, and support the local economy through a commons-based, community-focused and non-profit climbing facility, where beginners and seasoned climbers alike can challenge themselves, connect with others, and grow stronger – both physically and mentally. Whether scaling your first wall or refining advanced techniques, this space will foster friendships, inspire confidence and support health and wellbeing.

The compact climbing pilot uses the volume offered by the building while benefiting from the natural light, creating a bright and airy climbing wall, with two full-height bouldering walls with grades to keep beginners, kids & strong climbers entertained. For those seeking some more technical climbing, there’s UK’s first Decoy board. There’s also the canal for walks or art at the sanctuary. Lunch and coffee is just down the hall at the Long Table.

The benefits

The Climbing Commons aligns well with the principles of social enterprise at Brimscombe Mill. It will bring these co-benefits:

Health and Wellbeing: climbing fosters physical fitness, mental resilience, and stress relief, offering an accessible way for people of all ages and abilities to improve their health.

Community Building: a climbing wall is a hub for connection, teamwork, and skill-sharing, bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds. It will be attractive to both new and existing visitors to Brimscombe Mill. Our project provides a welcoming, affordable space for families and individuals on lower incomes, many of whom are currently priced out. It brings people together who wouldn’t otherwise meet, creating strong, cross-community relationships.

Youth Engagement: it provides a positive, skill-building activity for young people, encouraging confidence, leadership, and a sense of achievement. We will look to expand youth initiatives around the project as it progresses and would welcome input on this element. Unlike many sports, climbing naturally fosters conversation and mutual support. It offers a social, phone-free alternative to traditional gyms for young people. We will run targeted, subsidised sessions for young people and families, offering early, positive opportunities for physical activity, confidence-building, and connection.

Economic Sustainability: as a community-owned venture, the wall can generate revenue through memberships, classes, and events, reinvesting profits into broader social goals. The project diversifies the offer to the Brimscombe Mill community, boosting visitor numbers and supporting existing enterprises.

Inclusivity: we’re committed to creating an inclusive space, bringing down the cost of access to climbing, and ensuring the wall is a resource for all. By keeping costs low and working with local partners, we’re making sure that access to sport, connection, and community is available to everyone, not just those who can afford it. Climbing is a uniquely collaborative and inclusive sport—people of all ages and backgrounds connect by encouraging each other, problem-solving together, and building trust. The ideal sport for the commons!

Commons flagship: a public-facing facility like a climbing gym, organised as a commons, can introduce many more people to commons principles and models.

The journey

From a few of us getting together in pubs, to meetings in each other’s homes, hours of read-ups, firing emails and phone calls, meticulous modelling, resourcing, negotiating, pulling back at the last minute and resurfacing – so many people have helped us along the way, and with your support, we’re now ready for the final push to get this facility built in Stroud.

We did a survey last year and got over 600 responses, demonstrating massive enthusiasm for a climbing facility in Stroud. Many of our participants are local parents with experience of climbing who want somewhere to climb and to involve their kids too. People recognise the physical and mental health benefits of climbing as recreation, as well as the sense of community it brings. The top features people asked for were ‘year round indoor climbing’, ‘bouldering’ and ‘food and refreshments’ – all of which are available at Brimscombe Mill. When we asked people about what they would pay to climb, we learned that it is typically a bit less than is being charged by the commercial walls – meaning people are being priced out of sport and the benefits it brings. Our model can help address that.

We’re registered with the Association of British Climbing Walls, and we’ve developed an insurable, community-run operating model.

We were touched by how many local people have trusted us to deliver this project, with Brimscombe Mill as our host, who kindly agreed to let us their prime space for an affordable rent with a grace period. We’ve sold memberships and raised funds (£8000 from UnLtd through their ‘Movement for Change’ programme, supported by Sport England). Any surplus will be used to:

• subsidise entry for young people.

• provide free climbing shoes rental.

• buy LED lighting for walls, which will make the facility more accessible for new climbers.

• secure larger, more expensive holds.

• pay staff to open the facility for more hours.

• subsidise coaching sessions for the wider public.

Our forecasts indicate that we can offer a pricing model well below the prevailing rates for other climbing facilities in the region. We want to make climbing affordable and accessible to more people and we’re open to exploring ways of developing a ‘pay as you can’ offer.

Participating in bouldering does have risks. To ensure the safety of users, there will need to be some controlled and supervised access to the climbing space. This is likely to be a mix of restricted access hours to ‘super inducted’ members and regular supervised drop-in sessions for new climbers. We would welcome further discussion about alignment of operations to ensure accessibility is maintained while keeping the community safe.