Juneau’s Marie Drake Gym opens for public programs
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Courtesy of City and Borough of Juneau
Public programming and gym rentals will begin at the Marie Drake Gym this September
A former Juneau school building will soon swing open its doors to offer indoor activities to the community
Public programming and gym rentals will begin at the Marie Drake Gym this month. The community is invited to an open house on Friday, Sept. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the gym and planetarium, located at 1415 Glacier Ave. This event will allow families to check out the new gym space and experience the nonprofit-run Marie Drake Planetarium
The building previously housed Juneau School District’s Montessori and alternative high school programs, which was closed in 2024 after the Juneau School District consolidated schools
The Marie Drake Gym opens to the public for the season on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The space will be utilized for Parks & Recreation public programming, youth sports, private rentals, and by user groups that previously used the Mt. Jumbo Gym. Gym rentals for private parties after Sept. 11 are now being accepted. The transfer to the Marie Drake Gym marks the closure of the Mt. Jumbo Gym on Douglas
Parks & Recreation will offer a new public program at Marie Drake called Open Gym, beginning Sept. 14. Held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon, Open Gym will provide a space for all ages to enjoy drop-in pickleball, ping-pong, cornhole, and more. Preschool Open Gym will begin on Sept. 8 with sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m
Public parking for Marie Drake will be available on the new compacted surface by the main entrance. Participants will need to validate their parking with the gym monitor upon arriving at the facility on weekdays to avoid being ticketed
Programming at Marie Drake Gym will end for the season on April 30, 2027, and will start again the following fall. Like other City and Borough of Juneau Parks facilities, the Marie Drake Gym is closed on holidays, including Christmas and New Year’s
The city took over ownership of the downtown building that summer. Since then, the Marie Drake building has sat mostly empty, except for its planetarium and gymnasium
