It’s hard to envision the immediate future for the old Woodburn School, but if we look beyond the pandemic to a time when indoor gatherings aren’t a health hazard, the former school has potential as a community center.
Morgantown City Council and the Woodburn School Redevelopment Commission are already analyzing plans for the 100-year-old structure and its surrounding property. In the short term, there isn’t much that can be done with it. Places like the Woodburn School are best used when open and accessible to the public, which isn’t feasible right now. But we hope the council doesn’t abandon Woodburn just because it offers no short-term gains. Eventually, there will be a time post-pandemic, and when that time comes, Woodburn could become a community focal point.
As sad as it is to see, it does not appear that Boys and Girls Club will be returning to Woodburn. If that is the case, then a new after school program needs to take its place. Child care and after school programs are at a premium in Morgantown, and a number of programs are only open to WVU-affiliated families. Woodburn School still has a functioning playground and plenty of space; it could become the hub for after school activities post-pandemic.
The council should also consider the other project the city is undertaking: Overhauling 9.5 acres of the Woodburn neighborhood. This includes converting “aging college housing” and turning the area into a mixed-use development with “housing of all sizes and shapes” (DP-11-18-20), which will likely draw families to the area. Having a safe place for their children to go when the school day ends but the work day hasn’t will be a huge selling point.
But the former Woodburn School has even more potential. A revitalized neighborhood will need a revitalized community center. Already, it houses programming that has been acknowledged to be of value to the community and even more can be done. Imagine a place for book club meetings and impromptu basketball games and sewing circles. There are so few places anymore where people can gather without the expectation of buying something; the pay-to-stay business model has made social interaction outside the home a privilege based on disposable income.
As councilor Barry Wendell put it: “This seems like a place that we could support and make sure it’s able to continue as a community center, and not always worry about is this making money or not.” (DP-11-24-20).
When it comes to community services, value is not in revenue or profits or return investments, but in growth and learning and connection. The long-term social benefits of turning Woodburn School into a community center outweigh the short-term financial costs. We hope the council doesn’t give up on Woodburn. There is a future beyond this pandemic — it’s hazy and hard to see right now, as we focus on surviving day to day, but it is there — and we need to be investing in it now.
