The Ohio State Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) is home to a 35-foot rock climbing wall, a bouldering routes and a slackline and offers outdoor adventure trips for OSU students. Credit: Ris Twigg | Lantern File Photo
Have no fear, climbing again is near.
West Campus’ Outdoor Adventure Center, which includes a 35-foot climbing wall and bouldering area, closed abruptly Monday, sparking a “Save the OAC” petition to circulate online. University spokesperson Dave Isaacs said the facility will reopen as soon as possible once they can fill vital staffing positions.
“The facility and programs are not going away,” Isaacs said. “It’s really all about safety. It’s not safe to keep the wall open without someone with the proper certification.”
Isaacs said the center lost two staff members around Memorial Day and is now down two Climbing Wall Instructor Certified employees. He compared opening the climbing facility without such instructors to opening a swimming pool without lifeguards.
“We are committed to reopening as soon as we can do that safely,” Isaacs said.
Following the decision to temporarily close the center, the facility’s website offered little information as to why it was shut down or when it would reopen. However, it noted that trips planned through the center and equipment checkouts will also be paused starting this week.
Last Thursday, a petition created by “OAC Staff” was shared online, setting a goal of 2,500 signatures to “show rec sports how many people they are impacting” with the closure. In its description, the staff noted that the “facility was closed with abrupt notice to climbers, staff, and outdoor adventure lovers and there is no information on reopening known at this time.”
“Outdoor Adventure Center has provided a safe, accepting, and loving place to anyone who walks in the doors and provided once in a lifetime opportunities to anyone who sought them,” the petition stated. “Please help us show rec sports how many people they are impacting by signing this petition and telling your story of how the OAC, the staff, and the community has changed you. We love you all and are heartbroken to feel like we are losing our home and the things that mattered most to us. We did it for you guys and we will always be a family that supports you and your adventures.”
Though Isaacs said the loss of staff was unfortunate, he said he is grateful it happened over the summer when the facility is typically open four hours a day compared to the expanded hours throughout the fall and spring semesters. Anyone who signed up for the trips hosted by the facility will be issued full refunds, and trips will pick back up in the fall, as professional staff is needed to carry them out.
There is no date Isaacs can offer for reopening at this time, but the facility is hoping to find the right candidates and fill the position soon.
