On any given day, the Linden Gym is bustling with basketball fanatics hitting the courts.

It’s been that way for more than a century, since the building was established in the late 1800s as a YMCA.

Early on, the building at 205 N. Canal St. served the borough’s youth and was used by the community for summer swim classes.

It was also a multi-purpose hot-spot for Sharpsburg High School, which used the gym for classes, basketball and volleyball matches, and as a social hall for school dances, concerts and graduation.

In the 1970s, the gym became the home of the St. Mary’s Shamrocks basketball program.

It’s not clear when the Olympic-size swimming pool, located downstairs, stopped being used. It still sits idle.

While the YMCA left the borough decades ago, the building has maintained its mission to provide a sports spot for people of all ages.

In 1993, the building was sold to Sharpsburg for $1, according to former councilman Greg Domian.

“That is when the building’s second name, Sharpsburg Recreation Center, was created,” he said.

In 2013, a new board was formed to oversee operations. Using profits from rentals, the gym has seen major renovations in the past 12 years.

Upgrades include replacing the wooden basketball backboards with modern tempered glass, an LED ceiling lighting system, bleachers, furnaces, locker room repairs, water fountains, painting, a security system, a wall-mounted digital scoreboard and most recently, total renovation of the hardwood floor.

Today, the gym is busier than ever.

“We have folks in here almost every day of the week,” said treasurer Melissa Wiest.

It is most notably home to the Sharpsburg Wolves, an intramural basketball team that is a feeder program for Fox Chapel Area High School and travels the region to compete.

A pickleball league and private training sessions are also in the gym, Wiest said.

The gym is also used by the neighboring Watson Institute for phys-ed classes.

In the past, it has hosted cheerleading practices and girls’ softball strength training, among other programs. The gym has been the home to free clothing drives sponsored by Roots of Faith, sold-out boxing programs and Red Cross blood drives.

In summer 2020, the gym was spotlighted after being selected to host an Adidas-sponsored basketball tournament.

It is also the host site each year for the borough’s annual Christmas party. This past year, the Holiday Carnival and Celebration had games and prizes, an Ugly Holiday Sweater contest, karaoke and free presents for children.

Linden Gym is available for public rental but is also open for free hoops when not in use.

“The gym operates totally on revenues collected from rentals,” Domian said. “Other than the borough paying the monthly water bill, all other utilities, insurances and continuing renovations are funded by the gym itself.”

Anyone interested in renting the site can call 412-779-9613.

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