Opening day nears for ASAP Hub

The Hub for the Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress in Bartholomew County is on track to open on Monday, Aug. 26th — the same day as an ASAP community update planned for The Commons.

The Hub will be a centralized location where those with addictions can access all of the services they need to get into recovery. That center will be in the Doug Otto United Way building on 13th Street.

We talked recently with Nathan Walsh, director of the Hub, about the need for the facility.

ASAP was started over two years ago as a partnership by the city of Columbus, Bartholomew County and Columbus Regional Health to investigate and suggest solutions to the opioid epidemic. It has morphed into a not-for-profit group that will operate the Hub.

Although hopes were originally to open the Hub earlier this month, the alliance has been relying heavily on volunteer efforts to remodel the space. He said those volunteer hours have saved tens of thousands of dollars.

Walsh credited volunteers from Mission Columbus, who did much of the demolition and reconstruction work, from Cummins and from Columbus Regional Health for making the Hub construction financially possible.

ASAP will be updating the community on Monday, the 26th at The Commons. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the program will start at 6:30 p.m.