Gym aims to provide a variety of services
Two years' worth of dust and dead crickets were waiting when a Frisco couple obtained an abandoned rock climbing gym 3 1/2 years ago.
Mark McKeehan, a telecommunications consultant, and Chris McKeehan, a stay-at-home mom, had never owned a business but said they felt there was a need, both for the community and for their daughter, who rock climbs competitively.
"We wanted to give back to the community," Mark said. "One of the things the Climbing Wall Association will tell you is one of the best ways to give back to the community is to stay in business."
The McKeehans opened Canyons Rock Climbing, a climbing gym that serves both recreational and competitive climbers.
The gym offers top rope, or belay climbing, a bouldering wall and a training area. The climbing walls have different routes for climbers of different skill levels.
Mark said people of all fitness levels can climb because it is not a high-impact sport.
"It's not basketball. It's not soccer. It's not the kind of thing that's going to wear on your body," he said.
However, climbing is a sport that will work out the entire body, Chris said. To help train the body for climbing, the gym offers yoga and core-conditioning classes.
Mark and Chris McKeehan own Canyons Rock Climbing. Neither had owned a business before the gym.[/caption]Chris said the classes can help develop balance and focus in a climber as well as stretch overworked muscles.
"Climbers can get overdeveloped pectoral muscles, and they can get rounded shoulders," she said. "By stretching and targeting specific muscles through yoga, it helps balance you out."
Throughout the year, the gym hosts climbing camps for children during the day. The camps include lessons, such as safety, climbing and different exercises. The camps will have one teacher for every five students, Mark said.
For children, the gym is also a popular place to hold a party, Mark said. He said each party will have at least two hosts.
"That allows a parent to sit there and take pictures and mingle with other parents," Mark said. "They don't have to worry about entertaining their kids. Other gyms don't staff like that."
Children who want to improve their skills but not necessarily climb competitively can also participate in Kids Climb on Mondays or Wednesdays, Chris said.
But the McKeehans also want to cater to adults, so they host an adult late-night climb every other month that will run until 2 a.m.
"It's amazing. You see people coming in at midnight after work to stay and climb," Mark said.
Mark said the staff always strives to give climbers the best experience.
"Yes, we're a climbing gym, but we're in the entertainment business," he said. "We're competing for [customers'] time. So, they have to have a good experience."
Team Texas
Canyons Rock Climbing is one of the host gyms for Team Texas, a group of youth competitive climbers. For more information on Team Texas, visit www.teamtexas.us.
- 7164 Technology Drive, Ste. 202
- 214-872-2992
- www.canyonsclimbinggym.com
- Hours: Mon.–Thu. noon–9 p.m., Fri. noon–10 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. noon–7 p.m.
