Taking Indoor Climbing To New Heights
Oakland Park’s Project Rock Offers Fun Way To Stay Fit
With the holiday season fast approaching, fitness and exercise find their place firmly below obligations such as planning the next family gathering and locating the nearest turkey distributor. However, Oakland Park rock climbing gym, Project Rock, offers a fun alternative to keeping fit this fall.
“I heard about Project Rock through the Florida climbing community and was stunned by the care and scope of the facility upon attending their opening day event,” said Joseph Ferrarone, climber of 8 years and prior head-coach for the gym’s competitive youth climbing program.
The gym boasts a whopping 18,000 square feet of climbing space, featuring 80 climbing lanes, over 125 routes, more than 10,000 holds and walls scaling 40 to 60 feet high. These walls offer both top-roping and lead climbing, and some were hand-sculpted to create the feel, texture and features of iconic outdoor climbing locations, truly living up to their motto of “bringing outdoor climbing indoors.” In addition to this, the gym also offers a whole wall for bouldering; shorter walls that are climbed without the use of ropes or harnesses.
“The community there is very active and welcoming,” said Ferrarone. “It feels very warm and everyone goes out of their way to be friendly to everyone.”
Upon visiting the gym, it’s easy to come to realizations similar to that of Ferrarone. Lots of visitors have found a second home at Project Rock, using it as a social hub to meet new friends and catch up with old ones between scaling the walls. Regardless of whether someone is an experienced climber or looking to learn the ropes, everyone is welcome.
“Endless events and activities hosted at Project Rock helps that sense of community,” said Ferrarone, “it’s never a dull time!”
Project Rock offers many repeat events, such as the weekly yoga classes ($10) on Mondays from 8-9p.m and bi-weekly lead climbing classes on Wednesdays from 7-9:45p.m. Also available are unique or holiday specific events such as the costume contest held this past Halloween, and the tie-dye fashion show, where participants dyed Project Rock t-shirts and showcased their creations in a fashion show. Also, a great promotion that targets Lynn students, is the gym’s monthly college night, where anyone with a school ID, can come after 7pm to get 50% off to climb for the rest of the night.
If the upcoming holidays bring a sense of demotivation to stay active or boredom sets in as friends travel back to visit family, visit 3580 N Andrews Avenue, Oakland Park, as Project Rock welcomes one and all for a time that will well and truly rock.
