Make no mistake, the Butler Cubs basketball facility is sanitized.

It's pretty busy, too.

With the recent spike in COVID-19 cases during the pandemic, many gyms have become unavailable — and youth basketball organizations are inquiring about the Cubs Hall's availability.

“We're getting more and more requests,” said Mike Robb, president of the Butler Cubs board. “Since this pandemic started, people have traveled quite a distance to get some practice time in here.

“Younger groups don't need a full-sized, regular gym. Their size and skill level don't require that. Our facility is perfect for them.”

Robb said youth basketball programs from Washington and Allegheny counties have been frequenting the Cubs Hall. Kids have come in from West Virginia, Sharon ... even as far away as Lycoming County to get their work in.

“It's an old gym, but we keep it clean and safe,” Robb said. “The pandemic has been rough on everybody, obviously, but it's kinda brought our gym back to life.

“We use the 3 B's at the Cubs Hall — boxing, bingo and basketball. The latter is really picking up.”

Germinator Pittsburgh, a sanitizing and disinfecting company located in Gibsonia, comes to the Cubs Hall and sanitizes the entire building four times a year. Each cleansing is good for 90 days.

“They sanitize the place from head to toe,” Cubs board member Jordan Grady said. “The entire building is safe and clean.

“We invoke all of the safety protocols for everyone who comes in. Everyone wears a mask.”

A local church league uses the Cubs gym each week. The Senior Olympics women's basketball and volleyball organization has always practiced on Saturdays in the gym, but that group is on hiatus until late December.

Grass Roots Basketball, a youth organization based out of Chartiers Valley in Allegheny County, recently began practicing at the Cubs Hall. Their regular gym, the Collier Center, is unavailable due to the pandemic.

“We've had 200 kids come through this program,” Grass Roots director Andre King said. “We've got teams involving kids in second grade through 12th grade.

“Jordan Grady is a friend of mine and he told me about the Cubs. Parents and coaches drive the kids up. We love that facility.”

Grass Roots Basketball uses the Cubs facility on weekends. Beginning in January, the Chartiers Valley Youth League will use the Cubs gym.

That league involves 173 teams from Grades 4-8.

“We play three games a night Monday through Friday. Saturdays, we play games from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m.,” King said.

The league will play games in Sewickley and Mt. Lebanon as well.

Former Butler High School basketball coach and current Point Park University coach Joe Lewandowski has always used the Cubs Hall for his PK Flash club team's practices.

He helped bring in the Western Pa. Bruins club basketball organization in recent weeks. His daughter, Kylee, plays for the Western Pa. Bruins.

“They (Bruins) have used different gyms, North Allegheny and Penn Hills, but lost access to them because of the pandemic,” Lewandowski said. “They were able to work things out and come here.

“A lot of the WPIAL's best talent, players from the PSAC and Patriot League, are in that organization and have been coming to the Cubs gym. It's neat to see. It's been a good fit.”

All of the out-of-town basketball traffic coming in and out of the Cubs gym hasn't been lost on Grady.

“We pass out papers to them listing area restaurants and other points of interest around town,” said Grady, also executive director of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce. “If we can get a few people headed their way, that's all the better.”