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Jan 29, 2024

Sioux City parks and rec director asks to extend management contract for climbing wall

Jason DeLarosa, right, uses a belay -- a mechanical piece of climbing equipment

Jason DeLarosa, right, uses a belay -- a mechanical piece of climbing equipment -- to assist David Salem as he climbs a 42-foot rock wall at Long Lines Climbing.

SIOUX CITY — Sioux City Parks and Recreation Director Matt Salvatore recommended Monday that the city extend its contract with the private firm managing the climbing wall at Long Lines Family Rec Center for an additional two or three months.

"There's lots of conversations that have happened over the last week," Salvatore said during Monday's City Council meeting. "I think all the conclusions are we would not like to see a lapse in services of the climbing wall. In order for those discussions to continue, I would recommend a two to three month extension with Whitewater with the same terms."

Since a contract extension was not on the meeting agenda, the council could not vote on the matter.

Last week, Salvatore announced that Charlotte, North Carolina-based Whitewater would no longer be managing the climbing wall after June 30. While Salvatore previously told The Journal he thinks Whitewater revitalized local interest in climbing, he said the financial structure associated with the wall's operations didn't improve as the city had hoped.

Long Lines Climbing manager Alex Erwin talks about the reopening of the climbing wall in the Long Lines Family Rec Center building. Whitewater, a Charlotte, North Carolina,- based recreational company, has taken over operations of the climbing wall from the Sioux City Parks and Recreation Department. Whitewater held a grand opening for Long Lines Climbing on Sunday.

In May 2022, the council approved an agreement between the city and Whitewater, an outdoor recreation and adventure sports company, for the management and operation of the climbing wall, which had become one of the "most underused and underpromoted recreational assets" under the Sioux City Parks and Recreation Department.

The city agreed to compensate Whitewater an annual payment of $100,000, plus all revenue for management of the climbing wall beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023. The city wanted to see the payment amount reduced over time. However, current operations did not support a reduction in financial support to Whitewater.

Salvatore told the council some ideas have been proposed that could reduce the city's investment in the climbing wall and that he would like to see those ideas come to fruition.

Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr reiterated that there was never any intent to close the climbing wall or make it "non-existent."

Alex Erwin, who manages the climbing gym at the rec center, told the council he's done his best over the last year to pour his heart and soul into the gym, which he believes is an asset for the city. He proposed a continuation of the agreement with Whitewater.

"I understand that there wasn't an intention to close the gym. But, it our eyes, there was an intention to close it in its current form, which I think was the confusion," he said. "I'm here today to propose a continuation of what we already have and to propose that rather than the city paying the post agreed upon $100,000, we would like to meet in the middle. Perhaps the city can pay half of that and, then, we will do our best to fundraise."

During the council comments portion of the meeting, Councilman Alex Watters called the climbing wall an "incredible asset" that needs to be utilized.

"I think that we definitely can learn and be able to find, hopefully, a creative solution that works for all of us," he said.

Mayor Bob Scott said he's "for the climbing wall," but noted that it gets more money than the little leagues in Sioux City, even though fewer people utilize the climbing wall.

"When I ask once in a while on a budget hearing to raise the little leagues' money, keep that in perspective," he said.

The Journal's Jared McNett shows how to download and browse the new Sioux City Journal app.

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Butz, a Drake University graduate, has been at the Journal since 2005, covering a variety of beats, including public safety, health care and city government. She has won state and national awards, primarily for coverage of addiction and mental health.

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