Wood County Recreation Commission Executive Director Bill Vincent appeared before the Wood County Commission on Monday to talk about his first year with the organization as well as ongoing programs. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — Recreational activities and development updates were part of presentations given to the Wood County Commission on Monday.

Wood County Recreation Commission Executive Director Bill Vincent appeared before the commission to talk about his first year with the organization as well as ongoing programs and Wood County Economic Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol talked about development prospects in the area.

“This past year I have been really really busy,” Vincent said of coming in to the position with the Wood County Recreation Commission on May 15, 2023. “It has been very exciting.”

He talked about receiving grant money for scholarships for youth and others who otherwise would not be able to afford to participate in programs and talked about programs to train people to be officials at sporting events.

“In sports in the community, getting officials for any sport is very difficult,” Vincent said. “Not many people want to do it for various reasons.

Wood County Economic Development Executive Director Lindsey Piersol talked to the Wood County Commission on Monday to discuss ongoing development projects in the area. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

“We are working to recruit officials and get them interested in different sports (such as swim, track, soccer, baseball, softball, football, wrestling, basketball and volleyball).”

They are collaborating with Wood County Schools on Boys and Girls Elementary Basketball and track programs.

They had 18 teams for girls basketball, Vincent said, adding his 11 years as the Wood County Schools athletic director helped him know who to contact to make these kinds of programs happen.

Vincent talked about winter programs dealing with indoor pickleball which has been in place for the last five to six years. They had 20-30 people participating regularly.

The interest in their “Small Fry Basketball” program has “exploded” with a record 350 participants with 28 teams and three league divisions.

Vincent also discussed volleyball programs across all age groups, boys elementary basketball; the Parkersburg Fishing Derby, the Summer Adventures program (where participants went to Discovery World, did swim activities, played games and more); Summer Tennis, Summer T-Ball, Beginner Pickleball for Adults, the upcoming WV State Honey Festival in late August and the Harvest Moon Festival in September and the Wood County Recreation Commission Legacy Fundraising Event on April 19, 2025, that will feature area native Kim (Stephens) Caldwell, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Tennessee.

Piersol talked about efforts underway to get the SOMAR North America Corp production facility in Davisville up and running as well as the recent announcement that Wood County Economic Development purchased the former Civil War hospital on Avery Street.

WCED purchased the building in June for $111,000 with federal earmark funds it received for 2022/2023. The building, also known as the Henry Logan House, is located at 402 Avery St. and is a two-story Federal style brick home built in 1842. It is one of five United States Army hospitals from 1863-1865 that is still standing.

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo commended the decision to purchase the building.

“High visibility,” he said of one of the favorable factors of the building. They are looking to renovate the property.

“We are excited to get started on that building,” Piersol said.

Piersol said they were also interested in purchasing the former Eagles building next door. They are working with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development on options for that building.

“It is in pretty bad shape inside,” Piersol said, adding it might have to be torn down.

“We hate it when buildings have to come down,” she added. “Unfortunately, when something sits with no air conditioning or heat for years at a time, it gets in pretty bad shape.”

However, Piersol stressed they are looking at options that could save the building as it has historical significance to the area.

They were awarded $1.25 million to replace the doors and windows at the former Ohio Valley University location which was purchased by West Virginia University at Parkersburg to build its new WVUP Technology Center.

They are in the running for federal funding for two projects to remove the concrete drop-off at the former Johns Mansville plant site in Vienna and to run electric to the top of Fort Boreman Hill.

“We are excited about those,” Piersol said.

The drop-off at the Johns Mansville site is around 15 feet and Piersol said it would need to be removed as efforts are underway to redevelop the site.

“We are staying on top of that,” Piersol said.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com