Miriam Gym Opens Developmental Doors in Webster Groves

The recently celebrated the grand opening of its new multipurpose gym facility, which features acoustically treated walls and floors to reduce sound.

Sound can be over stimulating to some students with special sensory needs, according to Sarah Scott, development director at .

“Some students have a hypersensitivity to sound, so we want to do anything we can do to decrease that,” she said. In the case of the gym, cinder blocks inside the walls of the gym absorb sound, as does a poured rubber floor. The floor also reduces injuries, Scott added.

“Those are the two main features that you might not find in the average gymnasium,” Scott said.

The new gymnasium provides 7,600 square feet of recreational and support space on the north side of Miriam School and features large windows designed to admit natural light, a feature that has received comment from the public, according to Scott.  

Major funding for the $2.2 million gymnasium, which opened earlier this year, came from philanthropist Mary Ann Lee, whom the gym is named after. A challenge grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation provided an additional $250,000 toward construction.

Before the gym opened, exercise space at Miriam School was limited to a fairly small occupational therapy room as well as the school’s multipurpose room that doubled as a lunchroom, according to Scott.

All Miriam students have a daily schedule for occupational therapy, which might include running laps, playing basketball or other activities that call for significant space. The new gym provides students with more space to work on gross motor skills, Scott said.

“We knew we would like to take on the gym project here, but we did not think it would happen for several years with the economy,” Scott said. “When Mary Ann Lee told us about her decision (to donate money to the school), we decided to hurry up and add a gym.”

Construction of the gym finished several months ahead of time and the new facility opened in early January. Early construction ended up being particularly fortunate given the season of bad weather.

“If we had not opened the gym, kids would have probably gone six weeks without outdoor recess,” Scott said, adding that the opening was key in students being able to burn off energy and exercise during the time period.

The gym is a hit among Miriam students, according to the school.

“The children are delighted by the Mary Ann Lee Gymnasium and it has already broadened their experiences at the school and given them a new outlet for healthy play and physical education classes,” said Andrew Thorp, executive director of Miriam Foundation, in a statement.

In addition to donations from Mary Ann Lee and the Mabee Foundation, Miriam Foundation received support for the gymnasium from the following donors:

• Larry and Honey Langsam,

• Judy and Ira Gall,
• The Simon Foundation,
• Margie and David Frank,
• Emerson, Lanie and Milton Goldenberg,
• Gloria and Sanford Spitzer,
• Peggy and Jerry Ritter,
• Centene Corporation,
• Lucy Lopata,
• Michael and Noemi Neidorff,
• Morri and Miki Zimring,
• Tom and Karole Green, and
• George Diederich.