Hard work pays off on St. Albans Park trail

ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — Officials with the City of St. Albans Department of Parks and Recreation will finally cap a project Friday evening which has been seven years in the making. City officials will cut the ribbon on the renovated and restored nature trail within the city park.

Debbie Keener started out as a volunteer with the project and wrote the grant proposal seven years ago. The work ramped up last year.

“In 2018 we were able to close the trail and actually start the physical work. Once we did that, it’s been 18 months and we’re getting ready to turn the trail back over to the city,” she said.

The trail which is 0.8 miles has undergone a complete makeover. Two of the three bridges were replaced and the third bridge was upgraded. A handicap accessible water fountain was installed. The entire length of the trail has been resurfaced and there is an accessible shelter which was installed as part off an Eagle Scout project. Benches along the trail were installed as another scout project.

“We’ve added a little bit to it with two new sections,” she said. “It’s pretty easy walking. Only a couple of areas are a little steeper than some folks would like.”

Keener hoped the ribbon cutting and re-dedication would actually help draw more people to use it. She called the walking and biking trail St. Albans’ best kept secret.

“People know about the baseball field, the softball field, or the shelters, but a lot of folks are not familiar with the hiking and biking trails we have in the park,” she said. “I’m very proud of the work that’s been done up here.”

Events to reopen the trail run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.