Unlike in mainstream sports, climbing’s top athletes can sometimes be found training right alongside beginners at a public rock gym.

“Climbing’s a weird sport, where the highest level athletes at the World Cup level are training in commercial climbing gyms next to people who just walked in and got rental shoes for the first time,” said Mike Rougeux, executive director for Bend Endurance Academy (BEA). “Which is pretty cool, because you wouldn’t go to a basketball court and have LeBron James working out next to you.”

But on the flip side of that, as the BEA youth rock climbing program continues to grow, it needed to find its own space.

And now it has, announcing plans this week for a new main office which will also serve as the organization’s primary climbing facility. The facility will house all of BEA’s operational offices while also serving as the main site for its indoor climbing programs and as a venue for competitions, clinics, and training camps for competitive climbers throughout the West Coast.

According to Rougeux, the climbing area and office space is around 6,000 square feet, and the climbing terrain will have 3,000 square feet of wall surface. The facility is in the same building as Boardworks Climbing, a 24-hour climbing gym that opened earlier this year, near the intersection of Third Street and Reed Market Road in Bend.

“Our climbing programs have continued to grow over the years as both the sport and the Bend community have grown, and the time has come where our programming needs will best be served by being in our own location,” Rougeux said. “It’s something that I’ve kind of always wanted to do. But we needed the growth to justify it.”

Rougeux said BEA will be only the second organization in the country with a youth program-specific climbing facility. The first one is ABC Kids Climbing in Boulder, Colorado.

Founded in 2009, Bend Endurance Academy initially offered programs in the sports of nordic skiing and mountain biking. Climbing was added to the organization in 2011 and BEA has continued to grow across each of the three disciplines over the past 12 years, according to Rougeux. Last year, more than 100 kids participated in BEA climbing programs and more than 1,000 took part in BEA offerings across all three sports.

“We are anticipating being able to serve more with the new space as we increase program offerings as well as host regional and national-level training camps and clinics,” Rougeux said.

He added that the goal is to start conducting climbing programs at the new space by mid-July. The new location will be built out to accommodate climbing classes and practices from novice- to expert-level climbers.

“One of the trends we’re seeing in our state across all youth sports is a high demand for space for practices as well as competitions or events,” Rougeux said. “Climbing hasn’t been immune to those demands, which are currently outpacing the actual supply of space. With this facility, we are able to be purposeful in its design to accommodate that demand.”

The announcement of the location for the BEA facility comes on the heels of Boardworks Climbing opening in the same building just a few months ago. Boardworks Climbing is a climbing center with adjustable training and climbing walls designed for both the novice and expert climber, with the unique offering of 24-hour access for its members.

“Boardworks couldn’t be more excited for BEA to open their headquarters and climbing center right next door,” said Boardworks Climbing owner Lily Kral. “From the potential of adding additional climbing terrain for Board members, to creative and fun community competitions, the opportunities for collaboration are endless.”

The close proximity of the two spaces will help facilitate collaboration between BEA and Boardworks, as well as create a hub for movement sports in Bend.

“Lily was a youth climbing competitor and she knows firsthand the positive impact a youth sports organization like ours can have on the lives of kids,” Rougeux said. “Plus, it’s always a win when you can work in close proximity to other like-minded people and collaborate on making awesome things happen together.”

The climbing walls will be designed and built by local supplier, EP Climbing Walls USA, which also provides competition climbing walls for USA Climbing and the International Federation of Sport Climbing.

BEA’s climbing programs have all been conducted at Bend Rock Gym or at outdoor locations. Come summer, it will have a centralized location for all of its programs.

“We’ll have a room full of bikes for the mountain bike program, and gear for the nordic program,” Rougeux said. “The vans and coaches all in one place … It makes everything so much easier and more centralized. And then being able to have the control over our space for our programs.”

Rougeux said Bend Endurance Academy’s goal is to raise $500,000 during the next two years to cover the cost of the walls, holds, and flooring systems that need to be installed. To get involved, or to help support the project, visit bendenduranceacademy.org.

Aiming for fun, not excellence, could be key in reaching climbing goals

Vertical Pioneers at Smith Rock, the birthplace of North American sport climbing