Monday, August 31, 2009
TNCI In The News: Our First Interview!
Word is spreading about the new gym. I've had some nice feedback from climbers in the area who are excited to hear the news. And last week I was contacted by Jeremy Dowsett of Climbing Hold Review, asking if he could do a posting discussing the new gym with me. The interview is now up here.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
A Few Photos of the Building
Adding to the architect's drawings I put up yesterday, I've posted a few photos of the space in its current raw form. All are available for your enjoyment in our Picasa albums at http://picasaweb.google.com/truenorthclimbing/.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Drawings Posted
I have posted a few drawings from the architects to our Picasa page so you can start to get an idea of what the place will look like: http://picasaweb.google.com/truenorthclimbing/Design#
Monday, August 24, 2009
True North Climbing: The Location
I found a great place for the new gym. It's been hard to keep the location under wraps the past couple of months, but I thought it was important to do so until I knew I had it locked down (meaning the lease is worked out and the loan is approved). Now I'm ready to spill the beans.
True North Climbing is proud to be part of the Downsview Park Sports Centre. We're at 75 Carl Hall Road, within Downsview Park. That's the building marked as Indoor Rec. Facility on this map.
Downsview Park is a National Park run as a Crown corporation, on the site of what used to be Downsview Air Force Base. The location offers:
Convenient Access by Car or Public Transit
Downsview Park is handy to Highways 401 and 400, as well as the Allen Rd. There is plenty of free parking right outside our door. For those relying on public transit, we're close to the Downsview subway station, and bus route 101 is a 10-minute ride running every 20 minutes from the subway to the Downsview Park Sports Centre. I picked this location to serve the northern part of Toronto as well as Vaughan and Richmond Hill, as the closest climbing gym for the vast majority of people in those areas, without directly competing with the other existing gyms. In a few years the TTC access will get even better, when the new Sheppard West subway station opens within Downsview Park, connecting to York University and Vaughan, as well as the Barrie Go line.
A Community of Cool Sports-related Businesses
The Downsview Park Sports Centre has been growing for a few years, and currently includes:
A Very Cool Building
The building used to be an airplane hangar, and features high clerestory windows bringing in natural light from above. The ceiling is a mix of 26' and 36' high, and our space is 100' by 120', giving us lots of room for great climbing terrain without being crowded. Stay tuned to this blog for more information about the design of the gym, as our planning progresses.
I'm excited to finally be able to talk about the joint!
John Gross
Owner, True North Climbing Inc.
True North Climbing is proud to be part of the Downsview Park Sports Centre. We're at 75 Carl Hall Road, within Downsview Park. That's the building marked as Indoor Rec. Facility on this map.
Downsview Park is a National Park run as a Crown corporation, on the site of what used to be Downsview Air Force Base. The location offers:
Convenient Access by Car or Public Transit
Downsview Park is handy to Highways 401 and 400, as well as the Allen Rd. There is plenty of free parking right outside our door. For those relying on public transit, we're close to the Downsview subway station, and bus route 101 is a 10-minute ride running every 20 minutes from the subway to the Downsview Park Sports Centre. I picked this location to serve the northern part of Toronto as well as Vaughan and Richmond Hill, as the closest climbing gym for the vast majority of people in those areas, without directly competing with the other existing gyms. In a few years the TTC access will get even better, when the new Sheppard West subway station opens within Downsview Park, connecting to York University and Vaughan, as well as the Barrie Go line.
A Community of Cool Sports-related Businesses
The Downsview Park Sports Centre has been growing for a few years, and currently includes:
- The Hangar, with indoor and outdoor soccer fields, beach volleyball courts and a ball hockey court. There is also a full-service restaurant and bar here.
- Hoopdome, featuring several indoor basketball courts
- Grand Prix Kartways: indoor go-karting with electric go-karts
- The Rail Skateboard park
- Toronto School of Circus Arts
- Defcon Paintball
- Toronto Roller Derby League
A Very Cool Building
The building used to be an airplane hangar, and features high clerestory windows bringing in natural light from above. The ceiling is a mix of 26' and 36' high, and our space is 100' by 120', giving us lots of room for great climbing terrain without being crowded. Stay tuned to this blog for more information about the design of the gym, as our planning progresses.
I'm excited to finally be able to talk about the joint!
John Gross
Owner, True North Climbing Inc.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Today's Horoscope
Gemini: Painting something as big as the Golden Gate Bridge is fine as long as you understand that as soon as you reach the end, you will have to go back and start all over again. A certain goal will get accomplished. Do, though, be realistic about the time and effort it requires. [from today's Toronto Star]
We are getting there. I think I'm done with the lease negotiations, and it should be all signed off within the next few days. I have initial drawings from the architect for the change rooms, reception area, etc, and they look good. The contractor is figuring out what that will cost. And Eldorado is getting started on the wall design, so I should start to see ideas from them very soon as well. Assuming the lease does get signed very, very soon, I will get some pictures up online to share what the facility might look like.
We are getting there. I think I'm done with the lease negotiations, and it should be all signed off within the next few days. I have initial drawings from the architect for the change rooms, reception area, etc, and they look good. The contractor is figuring out what that will cost. And Eldorado is getting started on the wall design, so I should start to see ideas from them very soon as well. Assuming the lease does get signed very, very soon, I will get some pictures up online to share what the facility might look like.
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