WELLESLEY, Mass. — An inclusive, sensory-friendly gym geared towards children with special needs has closed its doors indefinitely after they say a pipe burst at a business next door – flooding their franchise.
We Rock the Spectrum on Wellesley’s Central Street told Boston 25 Saturday their manager found the center flooded Wednesday morning.
Co-founders and sisters Melissa Defay and Sherley Brice rushed to the center after hearing the news.
“When it happened, we were in tears,” said Defay. “We’re starting from scratch.”
Boston 25 crews got an inside look at the damage allegedly caused by a pipe burst inside a business above them.
The floorboards in the play area had been ripped up. The ceilings were stained, and most of their belongings they could salvage were tucked away in storage.
The company has been in business since 2021.
Defay said it was inspired after she and her son on the autism spectrum had a bad experience at a trampoline park with a parent.
She approached her sister, whose son has tuberous sclerosis, about opening a sensory-friendly, inclusive gym for kids.
The two opened the first We Rock the Spectrum franchise in Massachusetts three years ago.
Defay explained, “We took our pain and decided to turn our pain into something that can help families.”
The center offers an action-packed play area, a calm area, after-school programs, and even hosts events like birthday parties.
Brice added, “Parents are all tearing up because it’s the first time their child’s been invited to a birthday party.”
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