After being shuttered for the most part over the past three months, the building known as Eastside Community Center the 37 years will be used again for the same types of purposes — to provide training and other resources to people in need.
The United Way of Bartholomew County has stepped up to take over the former Eastside Community Center Building with a lease for six months, until a more permanent stakeholder can be found.
Heritage Fund — The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County also has stepped to the plate by covering the cost of the building’s utilities while the United Way operates it.
United Way will provide some of the services that Eastside did, such as free income tax help and a place for the Homework with an Officer program. The agency also will let the building be used for social services, children’s activities and community gatherings.
More good news is that United Way will ask neighborhood residents what types of services they would like to have at the building.
Considering the long history of Eastside and the impact it had on residents, finding a way to keep using it as a resource is a good idea.
It makes sense for United Way to operate it in for the interim because the agency serves some of the same clients that Eastside did. An equally important reason it makes sense is that United Way brings financial accountability to the table — which brought to light Eastside’s past financial troubles.
This development has huge potential, and we as a community have an opportunity to shape the former center in a way that better serves that side of town and the greater Columbus area.
We congratulate the United Way and other partners such as the Heritage Fund for recognizing an ongoing community need and working to fill it.
