DETROIT (WXYZ) — Indoor rock climbing has continued to grow throughout the United States, and the first indoor climbing gym in the City of Detroit is opening in Eastern Market on Thursday.
Dino Ruggeri, 31, from Grosse Pointe, founded DYNO Detroit. It's located at 3500 Orleans St. near Dequindre Cut in the north end of Eastern Market.
Ruggeri got into indoor climbing during his senior year at the University of Michigan. He said he would spend 4-5 days every week at Planet Rock, one of two indoor climbing gyms in metro Detroit. After moving to Colorado and working as a ski instructor and outdoor educator, he moved back to Detroit to begin work on the climbing gym.
While there are climbing walls at Wayne State University and the YMCA that can introduce people to the sport, Ruggeri said he wanted to create a community and a climbing culture in the city, and use the indoors to get people outdoors.
"I wanted to share climbing with people who might not have had an opportunity to try it otherwise. To provide a gateway to this outdoor lifestyle, to this identity of a climber," he said. "I thought it would be a really cool addition to the city that’s not a restaurant, not a bar, or shopping. It’s something that’s really accessible."
The opening will start with members and punch-pass holders, and they said it will be a "soft open" for the first 10 days or so with limited hours and capacity.
Members and punch-pass cardholders can make 2-hour reservations, and passes can be purchased on the website. A 10-punch pass is $175, monthly memberships are $79 and annual memberships are $869.
