Progression Bouldering
Vancouver, British Columbia
Specs: Progression Bouldering—owned by Catherine Brunel, Pete Lindgren, Sebastian Aube, Pierre-Luc Caron and Eric Chatelain—opened last March in Vancouver, British Columbia. According to Brunel, Director of Progression, Progression is her “dream come to life.” As a physician at BC Children’s Hospital, Brunel has “always been passionate about health and wellness,” she said, noting that “combining that [passion] with my love for climbing felt natural.” Lindgren and Brunel have spent over two decades climbing around the world, and those experiences eventually fueled a dream to start a climbing gym of their own. Motivated by “a shared admiration for community spaces and an unwavering love for climbing,” the pair connected with an international community of industry folks over the last five years “to learn how to create the supportive environment we always envisioned,” said Brunel.
According to Brunel, the long, rainy winter season can make it challenging for Vancouver citizens to maintain an active lifestyle, which encouraged them to open in early 2025 over the winter. “We envision[ed] creating a brightly lit space where people can gather, socialize, climb, and build community during these wet months,” Brunel explained. Brunel moved to Vancouver in 2019 and felt there was room for a new gym in the area, given “the city’s growing climbing community and affinity towards living a healthy, active and balanced lifestyle,” continued Brunel. They found an existing building that shares a roof with food and fitness facilities. The location is in proximity to multiple transit options, in a neighborhood with a bakery, grocery store and fitness facilities.
The 17,900-square-foot facility’s circular design presents climbing on one side and amenities on the other: a café, restaurant, sports medicine clinic, and retail shop. “This intentional separation between activity and recovery zones allows guests to engage with the space according to their needs,” Brunel stated. In addition to sports medicine, the clinic offers physiotherapy, massage therapy and dietary services, with city and mountain views from the three treatment rooms. “Recovery and injury prevention are crucial for long-term climbing success,” added Brunel, noting how that focus is in line with one of the brand’s core values of health and movement. Progression also features walls reaching 16 feet, training boards, campus rungs and a dedicated fitness area, Brunel said, “to support climbers’ various training preferences.”
Walls: OnSite
Flooring: OnSite
CRM Software: RGP
Website: www.progressionbouldering.com
Instagram: @ProgressionBouldering
In Their Words: “Opening a gym, especially in Vancouver post-COVID, requires incredible dedication. I’ve personally invested 4,200 hours into this project. Vancouver’s strict regulations and high equity requirements make it particularly challenging, but if you’re passionate about your vision, stay committed to making it happen.” – Catherine Brunel, Progression Bouldering Owner and Director
