Tompkins Weekly

Lansing at Large: The Rink and The Field to add “The Wall” this fall



The Wall will be constructed on the west side of The Field. The fence in the above picture outlines where the new facility will be built.

The Wall will be constructed on the west side of The Field. The fence in the above picture outlines where the new facility will be built.

The Community Recreation Center, known locally as “The Rink” and “The Field,” is adding a new element – an Olympic-scale climbing wall scheduled to open in the fall.

The project is being led by Greg Carlson, an avid rock climber who moved to the area in 2015 when his wife joined the faculty at Cornell Law School. Carlson is CEO of ReachWorks, the organization created to develop the new facility.

The climbing wall will be the regulation Olympic size of 15 meters in height for speed climbing and will incorporate areas for bouldering and climbing with ropes (or lead climbing). The sport will debut in the 2020 Olympics in Japan and participants will compete in all three disciplines.

The roughly 50-foot wall will require a 56-foot roof – the Lansing Town Zoning Board of Appeals approved the height variance in November of 2016. The building will be built at the western end of The Field by a local contractor; the wall itself will be constructed by a Toronto firm specializing in climbing facilities.

Carlson began climbing in his hometown of Seattle back in the 1980s – what he calls the “big boot, dark ages” of the sport. His middle child, Soren, began climbing at a local gym at the local wall at 6 years old.

“I became a climbing parent, which is like being a hockey or soccer parent except that you can climb too,” Carlson said. “What excited me about climbing is that the youth and family are involved.”

The only other comparable facility east of the Mississippi is in Atlanta and Carlson expects the wall will draw people from around the northeast U.S. for training and competitions. Locally, he sees youth climbing in the day, young adults coming in after work, and local people working toward expeditions using the wall to prepare.

“I expect that we will see professional climbers coming in to train as well,” he said.

The Rink will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2020. The complex now hosts hockey, figure skating, curling, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, archery, the Food Pantry, and a gym. And in the fall, “The Wall.”

 

Briefs

License Your Dog
The Town of Lansing will conduct a “Dog Enumeration” Feb. 28 in accordance with Article 7 of the New York Agriculture and Markets law. The regulation requires that all dogs four months old or older that are owned or harbored in New York State for more than 30 days must be licensed by the town, and have a valid rabies certificate.

The town urges dog owners to license their dog before the enumeration to avoid additional fees of $15 for licensing. See the town website at lansingtown.com for full details.

4-H Fiber Goat Club
A new 4-H Fiber Goat club for people aged 8 to 18 will have interested youth select a newborn cashmere or angora goat to bottle feed, gain knowledge and skills in raising a goat, and train and groom it for show and exhibition at the 4-H Youth Fair in July.

The goat kids will remain on the home farm, and youth will work with their project animal during meetings. Youth will also learn about fiber arts and fiber processing.

Meetings will start in mid-March. There is a $15 enrollment fee and an additional cost to cover the cost of vet work, vaccinations, and expenses associated with the show experience. Youth are expected to regularly attend scheduled meetings and will demonstrate safe handling techniques prior to bringing the goat to the 4-H Youth Fair. For additional information please contact Lisa

Chicken Wing Cook-Off
The Lansing Rod and Gun Club will hold a Chicken Wing Cook-Off Feb. 22 beginning at 6 p.m. at 55 Salmon Creek Road. Participants are invited to bring their own wings to stand against the others, or just come and enjoy.

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