ST. LOUIS — The Gateway Region YMCA has opened the doors to its Bayer YMCA location — previously known as the Monsanto YMCA — after completing $2.5 million in renovations. The work was made possible by a $1.5 million donation from Bayer and an anonymous donor gift of $1 million, officials said.
The renovations at the north city YMCA at 5555 Page Blvd. included an expanded Early Childhood Education Center, which improves summer camp and childcare programs, and the addition of a new STEM & Teen Technology Center that will provide a safe environment for youth after-school activities, officials said.
In addition, the renovation work includes a modernized community kitchen and an expanded community garden, which will provide food outreach in a community that is recognized as a so-called food desert – an area with limited access to affordable and fresh food. New fitness equipment and a larger gym will allow for more individuals to utilize the space, officials said. A new family changing room also has been added.
The renovations to the space did not include any expansion of the building's footprint, a spokesperson said. Officials instead took underutilized space to create high-performing spaces in order to meet the needs of its community, such as enlarging lobby spaces, increasing the number of group exercise rooms, updating finishes and furniture, and improving accessibility.
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