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MILLCREEK — The wind did not prove to be an obstacle for those breaking in Millcreek City Hall's brand new climbing wall — the tallest outdoor wall in Utah — at the grand opening Saturday.
It didn't slow down speed climbs by an Olympian, an Olympic hopeful and the city's mascot, Milo the Moose.
"As far as I know, it's the only city hall in the world with a climbing wall," Millcreek Mayor Jeff Silvestrini said after he scaled the 65-foot wall.
During normal operation, the wall will be $5 to climb, and is supervised so that anyone who wants to try feels comfortable participating. "I'm 70 years old. I climbed it," the mayor said. "We had kids, 6 or 7 years old, climbing. It's safe."
Silvestrini said that the liability of the climbing wall is many times smaller than that of an ice rink or a swimming pool. "I'm really looking forward to seeing climbers outside my office window," he said.
One of the co-organizers of the event, Matty Kastellec from the organization Salt Lake Area Queer Climbers, said that the group loves to see spaces that work to make climbing inclusive and accessible to everyone. The $5 pass is great for those who otherwise would not be able to afford the activity. "The sport is growing no matter what we do," Kastellec said, and local groups like his are helping to contribute to growth by encouraging those of all ability levels, and from all walks to participate.
One of the unique features of the wall is the 55-foot speed climbing route. Speed climbing, a previously niche activity within the sport, has seen a wave of new interest owing to its individual Olympic debut in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Speed climbing in Utah
Piper Kelly, a speed climber who will be competing in Paris, was the first on the wall following a brief climbing attempt by the fully costumed Millcreek moose mascot.
She said, "Climbing in general is super new (in the Olympics), and I would say within that, speed climbing is developing a little slower than the other disciplines." Kelly was the first women's speed climbing champion, winning the first-ever competition at the Pan American games in Santiago, Chile, in October 2023, clocking a personal best of 7.52 seconds.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was the first time climbing was an event, though athletes had to compete in a combined bouldering, lead and speed climbing races. The Paris Games will separate the three disciplines, which will allow teams to focus their training.
Another Olympic hopeful, John Brosler, flew up the wall after Kelly. Brosler will be competing at the Olympic Qualifier Series this May. "Climbing is really cool because there are a lot of different avenues and variations that you can explore," he said. "I started speed climbing 14 years ago, and it was this super niche thing."
"Especially as we've gotten closer and closer to the Olympics, there's a lot more attention. I care about the growth (of the sport) a lot at this point, just because I've been a part of it for so long," he said.
Many of Team USA's speed climbers train at Momentum gym in Millcreek, where there is a speed course. Everything is dialed in so precisely, Brosler said, and any difference from the holds used at the Olympics makes a big difference. Due to a lack of funding, the team is trying to pool its own money to buy the exact holds from the specific manufacturer so they can practice on them.
The holds will be delivered Tuesday, Kelly said, and they are holding a fundraiser to help pay for them.
Millcreek Common development
Millcreek is in the process of developing a six-acre open space surrounded by restaurants, offices, shops, housing and a new city hall. The third year of public roller skating will commence April 1.
The land, which prohibits habitable structures because of a fault line, will become the city's front yard, as Silvestrini puts it.
"We ask our residents in a survey, 'What do you want to see?'" Silvestrini said. They answered — a building for the public, not just a government office. The city has responded with the development of Millcreek Common, which the mayor hopes to become a sustainable public gathering space for generations. It secured $200,000, almost half the cost of the wall's construction, as part of a larger Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant in 2022.
A Land and Water Conservation Fund grant is one of many sources of financing the city has sought, awarding 50% of the cost of the project up to $2.5 million dollars.
The city is now in the process of financing Millcreek Common Phase II, which is planned to include more green space, a skateboarding area, a pavilion and mini-golf.
