Boardworks Climbing celebrates their first year in business on January 1, 2024. The 24-hour adults-only climbing gym, founded by Lily Kral, officially opened on January 1, 2023.
Compass Commercial Real Estate Services brokers Luke Ross and Terry O’Neil, CCIM closed the deal on Boardworks’ Bend location in August 2022. “Finding the right location for Boardworks took only a few months,” Ross stated. “We are thrilled to see Lily’s business thriving in the community. She built something truly unique, and we are honored to have been a part of the journey.”
“I really enjoyed getting to work with Luke and Compass Commercial on securing the lease for the space and am grateful for the continued support,” Kral stated.
Kral envisioned the gym in 2020 out of a desire to create a training-focused climbing gym that also fosters a tight-knit climbing community. As an Oregon native, Kral grew up climbing Smith Rock and quickly developed a passion for the sport. With over 20 years of climbing experience, she is a professional route setter and has worked as a gym manager for the past decade. Her aspiration to become a more powerful climber motivated her to discover board climbing, recognizing the potential with this diverse training tool.
The LED climbing boards offer flexibility and customization with five different climbing options, including full kilter boards with illuminated holds guiding climbers, adjustable decoy boards to target and strengthen weaknesses, a beginner-friendly grasshopper board, the more challenging moon board, and a spray wall. Members can choose from over 100,000 preprogrammed routes, and log and track their progress on the gym’s app.
The gym is a great option for first-time climbers looking for a new hobby or workout routine, as well as experienced climbers wanting to improve their technique. It also offers other amenities, including a sauna, yoga classes, a weightlifting area, and community events. Boardworks recently rolled out their Winter Bouldering League in partnership with Bend Endurance Academy, running from January 1 through March 31.
“We do a lot of community events here,” Kral stated. “It’s always been incredibly important to me to have a lot of options for community building. I wanted to use the gym as a conduit for anyone to do that.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Boardworks Climbing, visit their website at boardworksclimbing.com.
This article appears in Source Weekly December 21, 2023.
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