By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Glasgow-based nonprofit Bridge KY has moved locations from its West Main Street property across town to a smaller facility that will help the organization more effectively serve the community.
The new location is at 1411 N. Race Street alongside Bluegrass Professional Counseling and Pathology service provider, PathGroup. Wade Copas, the two-year executive director for Bridge KY, said this location will help Bridge KY with their mission of providing “wrap around services” for the Glasgow and Barren County communities.
“There’s nothing we won’t do to get people from a bad place to a better one,” Copas said. “Our only mission is to help folks.”
As previously reported, Copas said they more-or-less closed the sale on their roughly 7,000 square-foot building on Sept. 27 after more than a year of the property listed for sale. This new North Race building is roughly a third of that building at 2,000 square feet, however Copas said the move was necessary due to zoning issues and the nonprofit’s homeless shelter venture.
“The building on West Main was massive, it was about triple the space we have now, but the zoning issues and what we want to encompass, we weren’t able to use that facility to house people,” Copas said. “It was zoned industrial and you’re not allowed to sleep in an industrially zoned area.”
In this new building there are six private rooms each equipped sinks and cabinet space. Copas said the West Main property would have required people to sleep in a common area without much privacy.
“Obviously we’re not here for a long-term commitment from anyone but, for me as a human being, I think it’s a right for everyone to be comfortable where they’re sleeping,” he said.
Copas hoped they could begin again offering community services, like they have in the past, next week when everything is more settled. The nonprofit is beginning its 5-year lease and he said they plan to remain there for the foreseeable future.
“Unless we hit the lottery or something this is long-term for us and I’m very excited about being here,” Copas said.
