T-L Photo/ROBERT A. DEFRANK Director Sean Hanley of the J.B. Martin Recreation Center in St. Clairsville invites the public to enjoy indoor sports as the weather turns cold.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The recreation center in the city has a full slate of winter sports planned, while new projects to improve the building itself are in the works for 2020.

Recreation Director Sean Hanley said the Bantam basketball program boasts 37 teams this year with games kicking off this weekend. The games will continue through the end of January.

“About 60 more registrants than last year total,” he said of the program’s enrollment. “I think there was about 28 or 29 teams total last year for the basketball program. … That’s right here at the rec center. We’ll play our games on Thursday nights, and on Saturdays we’ll play 15 games all day.”

Hanley said the games have a waiting list of players.

“We’re slammed with registrants this year for that,” he said.

He added that there is still time to register for other sports.

“We’ll get ready to start indoor soccer in February. Registration for that should be open this week. In the beginning of March we will start our indoor roller-hockey league,” he said, adding that the center’s sporting events are becoming more popular. “That’s what it seems like right now. We take kids from almost all over the valley, from Wheeling all the way to Barnesville (for basketball). … We cover pretty much the same area. Wheeling, Bellaire, Shadyside, all the way up to Barnesville for indoor soccer as well.

“With our leagues and events, it seems like we’re getting a little bit more public interest,” he said.

Hanley said the age range of participants includes kindergarteners through sixth-graders.

“All of our Easter events, our Halloween events, any of our sports that we offer, we start everything at kindergarten,” he noted.

In addition, senior citizens can enjoy open play pickleball on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“There’s usually a group of six or eight, all the way up to 15 or 20, that come in three days a week in the mornings from 9 a.m. to (noon) and play,” he said. “We set up two nets in the gym.”

Hanley said other projects include continuing improvements to the rec center itself.

“We’re trying to plan some things to get put in our budget for next year,” he said. “Refurbishing the building a little bit — inside we’re looking to get some new commodes, possibly, and new floor out here in the entryway.”

He pointed out that the exterior of the building was repainted this past summer. He hopes to have signage up soon. Hanley said he is grateful to the city and to private investors for their contributions to the center.

To contact the recreation center and register for events, call 740-695-2037 or visit stcrecdept.recdesk.com.