FARMINGTON — The Board of Selectmen on Tuesday unanimously approved a request from the Recreation Department to accept a grant of $13,682.50 from Healthy Community Coalition to make a rock-climbing wall for children at the Community Center.

The coalition received a three-year $1.8 million Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant in 2014, grant director Laurie Soucy told the board. 

Funds have been used to create climbing walls in seven area schools as part of the goal to educate and increase exercise and better nutrition practices for children.

A rock-climbing wall was an idea previously considered as something more to offer the community, Recreation Director Matthew Foster told the board.

An 8-foot wall is proposed for the back wall of the stage at the Community Center with a pad below. There will not be any ropes, harnesses or high elements and staff will supervise use of the wall, he said. Each child will go through an orientation before using the wall.

“We’re trying to do it safely,” he said.

The wall will not affect insurance rates, he said.  

Foster has experience in rock climbing in Colorado. Seth Noonkester, assistant director of the Recreation Department, is experienced with inside rock-wall climbing.

“We think it will be a good thing for the community,” he said.

While the coalition’s grant has been used within schools, this will meet grant expectations to provide recreation after school and help youths attempt new things, Soucy said.

The grant also includes training for staff, she said.  

While the grant applies to children in kindergarten through 12th grade, Foster said he hopes to allow younger children ages 3 and 4 an opportunity to try the wall with one-on-one supervision.

A curtain can cover the wall when the stage is used for other things, he said. In the five years that he has worked for the department, there have been no calls to use the stage because of other facilities now available in the community.

Mats can also be pinned up over the rock wall when it is not used, he said.

A batting tunnel, also set up on stage, will remain but won’t be available when the rock wall is in use.

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