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New climbing gym in Western Sydney 8-Feb-2010 At 10:24:48 AM garbie

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Hi Pommy

Ouch.... publicising your new gym on Chockstone really has its drawbacks ): - I guess I
should appreciate the feedback though.

I'm sorry you didn't have a great time - I agree with you the gym's not at its best on a
wet Sunday. That said, all climbing gyms have to let everybody in - they can't survive
from just the climbing population.

Wet weather brings in the punters and its not always possible to get more staff in at late
notice, but we'll look into it.

On 8/02/2010 Pommy wrote:
>Rant Mode On:
>
>Will the new gym be called "Kidz Partyzone 2"?
>After my annual visit to St Peters yesterday, it's seems the management
>is solely focused on squeezing in as many kids parties as possible.

No we really don't focus on squeezing kids in - we prefer to have climbers, but the
parties etc help pay the bills...
>
>So we drive and hour and a half to get there, and yes it's a rainy Sunday
>so you'd expect it to be quite busy. We get there and it's pretty crowded,
>but there are a few ropes free, so we pay our cash (and my partner a $4
>joining fee? - sounds like something from the big 4 banks) and go inside.

The joining fee covers the belay check/lesson that for some people takes quite a while,
and as a joining fee $4 is really cheap (try Fitness First e.g.)

>
>The 6 or 7 free ropes are actually out of order because........ it's raining!
>wtf - does it not normally rain in Sydney??
>Do the ropes have to not work in drought conditions before they are deemed
>too fluffy and have to be replaced??

Thats unusual so many were sticky - they swell up in really wet weather, we're replacing
those ropes today.
>
>Anyway, no problem, I have a lead rope in the car and most of the lead
>walls are free. So I ask a staff member if they can give my partner a quick
>check so she can get her lead pass, and get the usual bullshit story about
>how busy there are, but they'll try and fit us in.

Fair enough, they should have tried to fit you in within that time, but they've been trained
to take these lead checks seriously and they won't just rush though something. They
were under the hammer...

>Four hours and numerous polite requests later ("sorry we can't do you
>now, we have a party coming in a 4:00, and 5:00, oh and another one at
>4:30) we are still top roping crowded vertical walls.
>It would have taken, what, 3 minutes to do the check?

No its more like 15 min, depending on the competence of the climbers.

>I spent much more
>time than that telling confused mothers which end of the rope they should
>be holding.
>
>And either the grades are very soft there, or my onsighting skyrockets
>when I'm pissed off.

Well you should be pleased with your climbing at least! Grading's always a bit variable,
there are some sandbags here at the moment as well.
>

>Rant Mode Off: