Open letter from the CEO of the Boston Rock Gym, Chris OConnell.
“It’s with a heavy heart that I send this letter. I’m going to be closing the Boston Rock Gym in December of this year. It was a difficult decision but it’s the right time.
I’d like to thank all the members of our community who have made the Boston Rock Gym such a magical place for the past 30 years. Our customers, members and staff have been an integral part of this endeavor and of each other’s lives for many seasons.
As most of you are aware, Central Rock Gym will be opening a location just up the street in Stoneham this Fall. I have talked with CRG’s management and we will be offering some attractive terms for members of the BRG community who are interested in moving over to their new state-of-the art-facility.
In many ways, the facility that CRG is building is what I had hoped the BRG could evolve into and is what I believe this area needs and deserves. You will see some familiar faces joining the CRG team from BRG. Details regarding memberships and programs will be forthcoming.
As I look back at the Boston Rock Gym’s history, I feel a great deal of satisfaction in all that we’ve accomplished. When the BRG was founded in 1989 by Steve and Tom, it was truly ahead of its time. I have many great memories of climbing and working there in the early days.
Our association with and support of the Climbing Wall Association, American Mountain Guides Association, Access Fund, and American Alpine Club over the years has been a source of pride. And the list of climbers who received their introduction to the sport at the BRG is truly staggering!
Some of our achievements might be worth noting:
Climber visits: over 1,000,000
Individual customers (waivers): about 250,000
Introductory lessons taught: about 50,000
Outdoor lessons taught: over 1,000The BRG has been an integral part of both Boston’s and the Nation’s climbing communities for a very long time. We have shared respectful relationships with more recent arrivals, starting with Metro Rock and then with Brooklyn Boulders and Central Rock. We have seen climbing move from a fringe activity to what it is today – an official Olympic sport in 2020!
It’s been a journey.
It’s never easy when something good comes to an end, but it’s also the opportunity for a new beginning. The Boston Rock Gym has paved the way for today’s climbers – that’s something that we all share and a legacy that we will leave behind as we look toward tomorrow. Between now and December let’s savor the friendships and community we’ve found at the BRG.”
Climb on,
Chris OConnell
Owner, Boston Rock Gym Inc.
Climbing Business Journal is an independent news outlet dedicated to covering the indoor climbing industry. Here you will find the latest coverage of climbing industry news, gym developments, industry best practices, risk management, climbing competitions, youth coaching and routesetting. Have an article idea? CBJ loves to hear from readers like you!
