The OAC is pleased to announce a new sponsor: the law firm of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. BLG will assist the OAC in responding to landowners’ concerns about climbing-related liability. BLG is Canada’s largest law firm. Many of its lawyers are active climbers. Dan Zacks of BLG’s Toronto office has climbed for over a decade–primarily on the Escarpment–and will work with the OAC’s Board of Directors.
The OAC is pleased to announce a new sponsor: the law firm of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP. BLG will assist the OAC in responding to landowners’ concerns about climbing-related liability. BLG is Canada’s largest law firm. Many of its lawyers are active climbers. Dan Zacks of BLG’s Toronto office has climbed for over a decade–primarily on the Escarpment–and will work with the OAC’s Board of Directors.
Through the coordinated efforts of the OAC and the Niagara Parks Commission (NPC), the Niagara Glen now formally permits bouldering. With the new establishment of a formal management plan for bouldering many in the bouldering community are questioning why they would pay for access to something that has been free for so long. In response to these questions the OAC has reached out to the NPC and asked for clarification on the fee. The Niagara Parks Commission has provided a statement that explains the need for the fee, why boulderers and not other users pay, and how the funds collected from the fee are used:
“Bouldering Activities in the Niagara Glen
During the 1980’s, The Niagara Parks Commission moved to limit the recreational pursuit of cliff-face climbing within the Park, by restricting it to emergency and maintenance purposes only. At the same time, the Commission continued to allow the recreational activity known as bouldering to take place. Over the years, bouldering has increased in popularity and the Niagara Glen has become a noted world-wide bouldering site. The need for a more formal program to oversee this activity was therefore needed to protect the physical, cultural and ecological integrity of the Parks and Niagara Glen.
Following consultations with the public, the Ontario Access Coalition (OAC) and other interested groups, new rules were developed to permit the continuation of this sport in the Niagara Glen. Annual Bouldering Permits will now be issued to encourage safe access by users, while protecting the greatest concentration of Species at Risk, which are found in Ontario within the Niagara Glen. However, there are costs in doing so in terms of staffing, insurance, legal, monitoring, mapping and maintenance, which Niagara Parks would not otherwise experience, if it did not allow this sanctioned activity to occur.
As a self-funded agency of the Province of Ontario, The Niagara Parks Commission operates in a commercial manner with revenues raised reinvested back into the Park to support its much needed stewardship and preservation activities. The bouldering community, by way of this new permit fee, will also be contributing to the responsible continuation of the sport and protection of the most sensitive aspects and nature of the Niagara Glen.”
Climbing in the Niagara Glen was first recorded in 1922. After nearly 100 years of free access to Niagara Glen the recent growth of the sport has resulted in the need for change to allow bouldering to continue to grow. In Ontario and around the world the climbing community and land managers are challenged with how to incorporate environmentally responsible activities on their land. The OAC continues to believe climbing to be a low-impact self powered recreation opportunity. We encourage climbers and boulderers to follow our code of ethics in promotion of Leave No Trace practices. Please support this partnership by purchasing your annual bouldering permit at the Butterfly Conservatory this Fall/Winter; hours of operation here: http://www.niagaraparksnature.com/things-to-do/butterfly-conservatory.html
More bouldering info at: http://www.niagaraparksnature.com/things-to-do/bouldering.html
From the director of PURE and CORE, Chuck Fryberger, get ready to infiltrate four of the biggest scenes in the world of climbing.
The Ontario Access Coalition is happy to bring The Scene to Ontario! Tuesday, October 25, 7pm. Showing at “The National Film Board” 150 John Street, Toronto (walking distance from MEC Toronto: http://g.co/maps/345ru ). Tickets available at the door only – $10 for OAC members, $12 for non-members – with DVDs and Blu-Ray to buy after the show.
Filmed in stunning 4K Ultra High Definition, get ready for a fast-paced ride through the centers of the climbing universe. Check out the preview here: http://www.TheSceneFilm.com .
Areas featured:
Moab, Utah – a mellow desert town surrounded by massive sandstone towers, where climbers test the limits of danger while still maintaining a strict traditional ethic.
Boulder, Colorado: the undisputed social hub of US climbing, with sponsored athletes of every discipline living in a city packed-full of talent, competition, and progressive ideas.
Innsbruck, Austria: with possibly the highest concentration of talent in the world, the competition climbers here fight not only for the tops of podiums, but also corporate sponsorships and mainstream success.
Catalunya, Spain: with near-limitless potential, Northern Spain has claimed the title of sport climbing capital of the world, and is now home to climbing’s largest population of elite sport climbers.
Featuring: Chris Sharma, Steph Davis, Nalle Hukkataival, Rob Pizem, Dave Graham, Matt Wilder, Pat Goodman, Dani Andrada, Anna Stohr, Alex Johnson, Kilian Fischhuber, Cody Roth, Much Mayr, Ramon Julian, Paxti Usobiaga, and Daila Ojeda.
Check out http://www.niagaraparksnature.com/things-to-do/bouldering.html for the latest information on the new bouldering program at the Niagara Glen!
Details from the Niagara Parks Nature website: Bouldering Permits will be available for purchase ($20 fee and signed waiver required) at the Niagara Glen Nature Centre (previously known as The Feather in the Glen), located at 3050 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario. Permits can also be purchased at the Butterfly Conservatroy, located at 2565 Niagara Parkway, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Completed waiver forms must be signed and returned to either the Nature Centre or the Butterfly Conservatory for verification.
Please have photo ID with you when submitting your form.
The following is a list of resources you can download relating to bouldering in the Niagara Glen:
- Bouldering Waiver Form
- List of Rules
- Map of Sanctioned Trails and Closed Boulders (COMING SOON!!)