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St. Albans to take possession of McKinley gym; city plans recreation, office space and bus garage consolidation
Summary
Mayor Scott James said the city has keys to the McKinley school gym and plans to use the gym, bathrooms and some classrooms for recreation and offices while school district plans to locate transportation facilities on the broader campus.
Mayor Scott James said the City of St. Albans is in the process of gaining control of the gymnasium at the former McKinley Middle School and intends to make the space available for community recreation and some city offices.
"We are in the process of gaining ownership of the, gym area," James said on the city podcast. He said the agreement being finalized would include the gym and its bathrooms and that the city already has keys but had not completed signed paperwork at the time of the broadcast. James said the interior areas currently contain desks, tables and other school equipment that will need to be cleared before programming begins.
Why it matters: The city intends to use the gym and adjoining rooms for recreational programming, portable pickleball courts and potentially archery practices, expanding local recreation space without building new facilities.
What is planned and what remains unresolved - Immediate plan: Clean out part of the gym to allow small‑scale activities such as youth basketball and daytime pickleball. James said the city hopes to open some space quickly as rooms are cleared. - Longer‑term: The school district plans to consolidate South Charleston and St. Albans bus garages on the McKinley campus; some rooms are expected to be used for transportation offices. James said those uses are part of the district’s plan rather than the city’s portion of the property. - Property access and timing: Keys are in the city's possession but the mayor said "we don't have the signed paper yet"; the city must wait for the campus to be cleared before expanding public use.
Field, courts and other ideas James said the outdoor field will be available for community use and discussed converting existing back‑lot tennis courts to pickleball and considering RV parking for visitors. He also mentioned portable courts for daytime use and interest from local archery groups.
Ending City officials said they will begin limited programming as space is cleared and will provide further details after formal transfer paperwork is complete.
