Chris Majerczyk wasn’t planning on moving his business. As owner and general manager of The Proving Ground Bouldering Gym in Bloomington, Illinois, Majerczyk was content with the current location.
But then his landlord made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Several businesses had expressed interest in moving into the gym’s building and the adjacent space, so the landlord proffered to cover the gym’s moving and rebuilding expenses if they shifted locales. And so, after a lengthy closure, The Proving Ground (TPG) is open in a new space with a complete redesign.
“The new gym is in a much more visible location, is less expensive, and is working out splendidly,” Majerczyk says.
While both the new and old spaces are about 12,000 square feet, the new gym’s layout is vastly different. “The new gym is much more open,” notes Nathan Glunz, a Peoria-based climber and TPG regular. “It’s a straight corridor. You can see all the way from the back to the front.”
The angles and features of a climbing wall make a significant difference in the types of boulders that setters create, and TPG made plenty of changes in this regard. The gym added a 35-degree overhang, a 50-degree overhang, and several dihedral features.
It also switched from a nonadjustable 8-by-12-foot kilter board to an adjustable 12-by-12-foot kilter board, creating a more robust training tool for boulderers. Another improvement: There used to be a wall with auto belays for children that was not boulder-able, but staff upgraded to thicker pads so that boulderers could use the entire area.

(Robert Clark)
But one change might be the most exciting tweak of all. For an extra $10 per month, members can have 24-hour access to the gym with a key fob. This policy allows those with nontraditional work or school schedules to continue to pursue the sport they love.
Since reopening, TPG’s event calendar has been packed. It hosted a Halloween competition and party as well as a youth and community bouldering competition in November. (Go to tpgbouldering.com to see the full slate.)
“We’ve always taken pride in throwing great events, and the new location will make that even easier,” Majerczyk says. “We offer leagues and lots of non-climbing events to keep the community here strong and engaged.”
For Majerczyk and the rest of his staff, it’s a joy to have members back in the gym and climbing.
“Our members are the absolute best. I’m continually amazed at how welcoming they are to newcomers and how tight the friendships formed here are,” Majerczyk says. “Everyone missed each other during the closure, and it’s so wonderful to see smiles and sends again.”
Author: Mary Andino is a frequent contributor to Terrain.
Top image: Robert Clark.
Leave A Comment