ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — The City of St. Albans Parks & Recreation Department, in partnership with the St. Albans Area Chamber of Commerce, will host a Ribbon Cutting & Open House for the McKinley Rec Center on Friday, May 8, 2026, at the former McKinley Middle School, 3000 Kanawha Terrace, St. Albans, West Virginia.
The City recently entered into a lease for portions of the property to create recreational rental and activity opportunities for all ages. As part of that effort, the McKinley Rec Center represents a new community asset focused on recreation and public use.
The event will open to the public at 5:30 p.m., followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6 p.m.
An additional community activity, coordinated by Kevin Pennington, Parks Superintendent, and Scott Tweedy, Program Coordinator, will follow the ribbon-cutting. Details about that portion of the event will be announced once finalized.
“This ribbon cutting and open house is about opening the door to new recreation opportunities for the people of St. Albans. We are excited to welcome the community in and continue building a space that can serve residents of all ages,” said Kevin Pennington, Parks Superintendent.
“This project reflects our commitment to making more community spaces available for public use. We are proud to support this next chapter for the McKinley property and what it can mean for recreation in St. Albans,” said Scott James, mayor of St. Albans.
“When you create a space like this, it does more than give people a place to gather. It brings families, visitors, and community activity to St. Albans, creating more opportunities to shop, dine, and support local businesses. That is good for our community and good for our local economy,” said Adam Bryan, vice president of the St. Albans Area Chamber of Commerce.
Additional information, including final program details and participating dignitaries, will be shared as it becomes available.
