Navy Pier Is Getting Its Own Outdoor Rock Climbing Wall
By Mae Rice in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 18, 2016 9:09PM
Navy Pier is turning 100 this year, and as part of its anniversary facelift, it's getting not only a new Ferris wheel but also its very own climbing wall. Construction has already begun on the roughly 24-foot-tall wall, which is slated to open at the end of July, Navy Pier spokesperson Lucy Emery told Chicagoist.
Once it opens, the outdoor wall—which will have 312 total square feet of climbing space—will offer top-rope climbing, supported by an auto-belay safety system, according to Emery. (That means you won't need a partner to stand at the foot of the wall while you climb, holding the rope that keeps you from falling.) Tickets will be $8 for a three-minute climb, the Tribune reports, and the wall will be able to accommodate three climbers at a time. The only climbing restriction is that climbers must weigh between 40 and 250 pounds, Emery said.
This wall won't be quite as elaborate as the Maggie Daley Park climbing wall, which is 40 feet tall in some areas and offers a variety of climbing styles. Still, between this and the giant forthcoming Planet Granite climbing gym, rock climbing is getting increasingly ubiquitous in Chicago. You could get home tonight and discover a new rock climbing wall in your house.