Exercise and Socializing: New Sports Hall Officially Opened

It is the latest new building—for now—to open on the Steinmühle grounds following the construction of the Forum and Atrium, as well as the extensive renovation of the main building and the bistro: the new sports hall. Steinmühle celebrated this latest milestone in June with about 100 invited guests. Representatives from politics, partner institutions, supporters, and those involved in the construction project made their way to Steinmühle and raised their glasses together to a successful future.

The Steinmühle was built—but not just for itself. Unlike any other building on the grounds, the sports hall has been guided by the spirit of cooperation from the very beginning. Notable among these are the German Institute for the Blind (blista), as well as the Blau-Gelb Marburg sports club and other partner institutions, which can book time slots starting at 5:00 p.m. The gym is particularly well-suited for visitors with disabilities who require accessible facilities. In this way, the Steinmühle takes some of the strain off public buildings and offers new opportunities to people with disabilities.

“Physical activity is part of the concept of education,” said Egon Vaupel, chairman of the board of the Steinmühle e.V. School Association, who expressed his gratitude on site to everyone involved in the construction as well as to all supporters.

The City of Marburg and the State of Hesse each provided a grant of 300,000 euros. “We can accept these funds with confidence thanks to this exceptional win-win situation,” explains Dirk Konnertz, the school’s executive director. The Steinmühle’s own support association, chaired by Jasmine Weidenbach, financed the portable sports equipment with a contribution of 28,000 euros.

The celebration, to which school administrators, boarding school representatives, other members of the school association and the booster club, as well as the sports department, parent representatives, and student representatives were invited, took place in a positive atmosphere despite the gloomy weather. Given the plans for its use, the area in and around the spacious sports hall is likely to become a regular gathering place very soon—for exercise and socializing.