Cumberland climbers of all ages have a new place to practice their technique before taking it to the real rock.

Three boulders have been installed in Cumberland Maine Park 6. The first is called the "Chief" and is intended for climbers of all ages. The "Traverse" boulder is smaller, and intended for children aged 2-5. The third boulder is called the "Sign" and gives information on how to safely use the other two boulders.

The boulders are surrounded by a safety zone of fine gravel, which helps provide a soft landing zone, similar to swings and teeter-totters in playgrounds.

They were built by Canadian company RockCraft, which has years of experience in building outdoor climbing boulders across the country. The first of which was built over 20 years ago in Riley Park, Vancouver.

This artificial rock is sculptured to look like real granite, and weighs about the same too. The main Chief boulder weighs over 7,000 lbs. The boulders come with a 15-year warranty and are certified by RockCraft in accordance with the International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) guidelines to comply to Canada鈥檚 most recent playground standards.

Individual sponsors contributed to the purchase of these boulders, and several local donors assisted with the installation of the boulders: AFC Construction donated management, supervision, equipment, and materials; Cumberland Earthworks contributed machinery and labour; Slegg donated building materials; NW Homes Ltd. and Lafarge contributed gravel and key materials to the project.