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Chockstone Photography
Australian Landscape Photography by Michael Boniwell
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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

 Page 4 of 7. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 100 | 101 to 120 | 121 to 129
Author
Burnley - In need of some work
dalai
22-Feb-2008
12:35:29 PM
Regardless of whether the wall needs changing for training purposes, it's the safety concerns that have me worried. Given the polish on many footers, and slickness of many handholds now, chances are far higher to injure from accidental slipping and thus overloading limbs and joints.
james
22-Feb-2008
12:45:53 PM
this is the biggest load of s*** I've ever heard, I really hope its not true. If I knew the VCC were going to take this position & bury their heads in the sand I would have never volunteered my time to help build the wall in the first place. I couldn't make the meeting, & it would be different if there was a reasonable reason, & I will stand corrected if the VCC had the courtesy to post here with the reasons why they are refusing the offers to help maintain the wall. But really - volunteers that built the wall are offering to help maintain the wall, but right now it seems that the VCC are telling them to "fk off".... wankers!

PS: I think KP's being scarcasm has been missed...

chalkischeap
22-Feb-2008
12:59:39 PM
Ease up there james.

The VCC welcomes all offers to help maintain the wall - contact via email address given above. Michaelangelo is working hard on replacing holds from stock but needs more help.

Maintenance not reset was the outcome of the meeting, due to the reasons given above.

belayslave
22-Feb-2008
1:01:11 PM
I think (and hope) that people have just been caught 'hook, line and sinker' with a big trawl by KP and the
previous posters.

I'd be very surprised if VCC did actually take this view point. I too helped build the wall, and would help
again with the maintenance if it happens. Hope that it does, and hopefully someone who actually
attended the meeting (Neil?!) can shed light on what happened.

belayslave
22-Feb-2008
1:03:21 PM
On 22/02/2008 chalkischeap wrote:
>Ease up there james.
>
>The VCC welcomes all offers to help maintain the wall - contact via email
>address given above. Michaelangelo is working hard on replacing holds from
>stock but needs more help.
>
>Maintenance not reset was the outcome of the meeting, due to the reasons
>given above.

Well it's a bit sad that a reset was not opted for i think. I see no reason why people can't just deal with
not having holds on a wall for a week or two. Before Burnley (and the previous burnley incarnation)
there was no free training facilities other then bridge pillars and home woodies.

Chalkischeap - Were there other reasons why a full reset was not opted for?
chalkischeap
22-Feb-2008
2:06:17 PM
I've had enough of this to be quite honest.

TonyB did not want to reset as a matter of principle
Michaelangelo has been instructed by Jacqui to undergo minimal impact maintenance

your intrepid reporter signing off

(does anyone have a good woody for sale?)

belayslave
22-Feb-2008
3:25:47 PM
sorry if i offended you mate. nothing was meant of it. just trying to find out what was said at the meeting
and the reasons behind it. not a dig at you!

Is Jacqui back in town now? I'll give her a call if so.

rodw
22-Feb-2008
3:28:48 PM
Seems strange...the whole point of an artificial wall is you can reset them.....if your not going to bother.....why drill all the extra holes and plug all those extra T-nuts???

Im from Sydney so I don't really give a crap....just commenting on what seems like a dumb policy.


Rich
22-Feb-2008
3:29:35 PM
Jac lives in London..
chalkischeap
22-Feb-2008
3:32:48 PM
No worries, not offended - just had enough of the Burnley issues.

Jacqui is overseas, but checks this forum and the burnley email address.

belayslave
22-Feb-2008
3:32:55 PM
On 22/02/2008 Rich wrote:
>Jac lives in London..

So she's still there? I thought i heard she was coming back some time late last year or maybe it's this
year some time. hmm... maybe i'm mistaken.

belayslave
22-Feb-2008
3:34:05 PM
On 22/02/2008 chalkischeap wrote:
>No worries, not offended - just had enough of the Burnley issues.
>
>Jacqui is overseas, but checks this forum and the burnley email address.

Thanks mate, think i've still got her email address so i'll shoot her an email.
raven
22-Feb-2008
3:57:16 PM
I was at the meeting last night and it was rather a disappointing, and somewhat tense affair. It started off on the wrong foot when VCC President Tony basically said that nothing is going to change at the wall. This was the opening gambit. A few people made suggestions but these were not favourable met or even contemplated in some cases. Myself and many others went down to the wall thinking an open discussion would take place on the future direction of the wall but I don't think this was the VCC's intention. It seemed to me that their intention of the meeting was to 'quieten' the chockstone talk about a reset, and to canvas for more committee members. Now, I understand an organisation like the VCC needs new members but it was said repeatedly by Tony that the only way to get any changes to the VCC burnley policy was to join the VCC and get on the committee. I am not sure this is the only way. As a regular user of the wall I am really appreciative of the work Michaelangelo and his team does down at the wall but I do feel changes to the wall can be made, otherwise it will have decreasing value as a facility. On a personal note, the VCC may have designed it as a 'crag' but it is a wall and most people treat it as such. A reset of the problems once every few years is not a big ask especially when volunteers are available and money (donations etc) could be acquired.

phil_nev
22-Feb-2008
4:19:51 PM
Just a question... Does anyone actualy own the wall? Parks Vic? CityLink?

six-sevens
22-Feb-2008
7:09:53 PM
Citilink paid for it, Parks insures it, and VCC run it (?)

In a former life I personally used to strip clean and reset 20+ boulder problems in 1 day. There is no reason why the climbers of Melbourne couldn't reset a wall in a weekend.

Do any of the VCC climb there and would they notice if it was reset and the shiny holds replaced with new ones?

Organ Pipe
22-Feb-2008
7:35:53 PM
Everyone, regardless of whether you're 'pro' or 'anti' reset, must realise that it's only a matter of time before it must be done.
Whether this is now, or a year from now, or 5 years from now, etc, a reset WILL have to occur, and new holds will have to be purchased!
The community dialogue around how, who, with what resources, with what cash, with who's permission and consent is valid and necessary if the facility is to be more than just a blip on history's pages.

Agreed?

Right.

I was there last night (tall guy in light blue singlet) for those that were there also. I showed up during the crux of the VCC part.
The meeting at this point seemed to be frustrating people to no end. As the night wore on and the group size shrunk, the discussion became more positive.

What I took away from the discussion was this:
Michelangelo has a noble respect for Jacqui's opinion, which is that "as there is no money, we should carry out minimal impact* maintenance and not conduct a reset"

*rotating polished holds and replacing polished holds that have been rotated in the past.

There were about 6 guys left at the end that Michelangelo has agreed to continue chatting with.

We challenged the "as there is no money bit" as in Michelangelo's mind, this is the real roadblock. He gave us the impression that If we can raise enough cash to invest in a significant quantity of new holds, then we've got a really good base to make this happen.

The other key point that I think filtered out of the discussion is that we desperately need a project manager to volunteer. Someone who can work closely with Michelangelo, probably someone who can talk with the VCC also.
I'd personally love to do this, as this is what I do for a living, however I'm moving to the U.S. in March for the next 2 years. Although I'd be happy to facilitate fund raising or something similar remotely.

Lastly I made this observation: During the discussion people split hairs over whether all walls should be done at once vs one at a time, and washing holds on site vs taking them off site to clean, and how would we raise money, and who was going to route set etc.
These are all questions that are important yes, but come down the track when a plan is being formalised. You don't renovate a house beginning with selecting the door handles! you begin with the builder, and the council approval, then work down the details in descending order.

Phil S
22-Feb-2008
7:56:37 PM
Imagine Real Rockclimbers listing Burnley as a crag... hehehee...
...funny mexicans...
Even traverse walls with glued pebbles evolve over time as things break off.

I visited Burnley for the first time over Xmas and was mighty impressed. Sure, it's not a gym (as such) but is certainly a TRAINING facility. Do the VCC rulers think that it's perfect exactly the way it is or are they just avoiding comitting to the re-set and all that goes with it?

The way the VCC meeting has been reported here the whole issue is incomprehensible. Isn't the VCC supposed to be supporting Vic climbing - if so they must not let such a hard-faught and high-quality training venue go to seed.

I suggest one re-set per year with as many new holds as possible - this will get easier as a ruetine evolves. What??? No money for holds/can't keep asking the same firms year after year??? How about an annual Burnley "Climbathon" (distance climbed in teams, not difficulty) with sponsorship going to UPGRADE the wall (because - heads up VCC - it aint perfect, there are lots of ways to improve it).

Another 2 cents for VCC.

alrob
22-Feb-2008
9:01:24 PM
The people who run it don't know what they are doing. Lets over through the ruling party! Viva la Revolution!

belayslave
23-Feb-2008
1:07:12 AM
On 22/02/2008 Organ Pipe wrote:
>Everyone, regardless of whether you're 'pro' or 'anti' reset, must realise
>that it's only a matter of time before it must be done.
>Whether this is now, or a year from now, or 5 years from now, etc, a reset
>WILL have to occur, and new holds will have to be purchased!
>The community dialogue around how, who, with what resources, with what
>cash, with who's permission and consent is valid and necessary if the facility
>is to be more than just a blip on history's pages.

Haven't quoted the whole thing Ben, (everyone can see it above) but thank you for your level headed
response. Yes, i agree and it's sad you're going away because the project would benefit having you on
board in Jacqui's absence.

Maybe I'm wrong, but i've never seen Burnley as being "run" by the VCC. From my perspective,
everyone who has worked on it, it's always been volunteers, some even non-climbers, who helped
build, and subsequently maintain the walls. Michelangelo has been doing a great job to date.

In my mind as a past route setter, i don't think the holds need replacing at this stage. it's a matter of
stripping, cleaning and re-setting problems, ensuring that shiney sides are face down on the new
problems.

Indeed in all matters i think Jacqui's opinion should be seeked and respected. She is after all the rock
that pulled all the parts together to make it happen.

Don't think i'm the right person for project managing, but will gladly put in anything i can afford, time
and money wise, to make sure the wall continues living for the future.
gfdonc
23-Feb-2008
9:01:04 AM
This is disappointing, but I'm not inclined to take 'no' for an answer.

I've hardly visited Burnley up until January when I decided I needed to get a bit stronger. I was surprised to see how polished the footholds had become.

The place is getting used regularly and deserves maintenance. I also think the wall could use some more lower-grade routes, perhaps on the 30deg wall. There are lots of climbers who can only get across on one route, the black.

In terms of injury possibilities I agree, I did pop off unexpectedly once and landed on my back. That rubber matting works!

I'm happy to assist with labour and/or donation to replace holds.
Where to from here?

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There are 129 messages in this topic.

 

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