The unlikely third spaces emerging from Montreal’s bouldering culture

Transforming a space that once housed peep shows—decades-old adult film VHS tapes were discovered on the construction grounds—into a 10,000 square foot climbing gym, Café Bloc opened its doors in February 2020. Despite being operational on the cusp of a pandemic, the establishment persevered, cultivating an environment that’s seeing a lot of activity today. 

Recreational basketball leagues, adult open ballet classes, you name it: Montreal is not a city devoid of active spaces or opportunities. It seems, though, that the climbing gym has transcended its typical audience and tapped into a larger cultural desire.

Where conventional gyms can breed comparison culture and intimidation—mirrored walls reflecting every perceived flaw, unsolicited advice from self-appointed experts, an unspoken hierarchy around who "belongs" near which equipment—climbing gyms operate on fundamentally different terms.