ELKINS– Phil Gainer Community Center Facility Manager Chris Lee will leave his position next month to work for Ascend West Virginia.

Lee has served almost nine years as the first facility manager for the Phil Gainer Community Center, having been in the position since not long after the building was first bought by the Elkins Parks and Recreation Commission. Lee’s last day with the Phil Gainer Center will be Dec. 23.

“I would like to thank everybody who gave me the opportunity to work in a job that had such awesome, positive community impact,” Lee told The Inter-Mountain Friday. “I’m really looking forward  to continuing to work with these awesome people in the community.”

Lee also spoke highly of the EPRC, calling them a “strong board” with “great leaders that think about their decisions.” When asked if he knew who would be the next facility manager, Lee said the matter was discussed in an executive session during the EPRC’s meeting Wednesday, but he was not in the room and he had not yet heard what they discussed.

“I don’t have any doubts whatsoever that the parks commission and the parks administration will have a plan to ensure the Phil Gainer Center is successful moving into the future,” Lee said.

Lee is set to become the greater Elkins area Program Coordinator for Ascend West Virginia, a position he spoke enthusiastically about.

“Ascend West Virginia is a program that incentives remote workers to move into the Elkins area and my job, basically, will be to help connect them to the community, for the benefit of themselves and, of course, for the community,” Lee said. “We’re also designing programming that enriches their lives with a focus on outdoor recreation.”

Lee said outdoor recreation is something he is very passionate about and has a lot of experience with, adding that he looks forward to sharing that with people coming into the area.

He added that his time at the Phil Gainer Center has helped him build connections with organizations and businesses that he hopes to incorporate into his new job.

When asked if this means he’ll be staying in the area, Lee was emphatic that he would.

“Elkins is home,” Lee said. “I love it here. I love the people I get to work with here and the most exciting part about this new job is I get to continue to work with those same people and continue to recreate in the same ways. It’s really exciting.”

During Thursday’s Elkins City Council meeting, Third Ward City Council member and EPRC member Christopher Lowther announced Lee’s departure to the council, speaking highly of Lee and his enthusiasm for his new position with Ascend West Virginia.

“I wish Chris nothing but the best of luck in his adventure.” Lowther said during the meeting. “He stopped by my house to tell me he was resigning and you could see the excitement in Chris’ eyes for his new job.”