The Center on Center holds open house
Butler got its first look at the Center on Center, a brand-new drug and alcohol recovery center located on Center Avenue which held an open house on Friday, April 26.
The new recovery center occupies what was formerly the Grace Youth and Family Foundation building. The Nonprofit Development Corporation purchased the property for $375,000 in October 2023 through a bankruptcy court.
According to volunteers Sara Ritchie and Andrew McCue, it took roughly six months for the new owners to make the building suitable for its new use.
“Our ideas have come to fruition, I would say, in the last six months,” Ritchie said. “Every single individual on our steering committee brings something to the table.”
“We’ve updated the cameras, installed security, refurbished the electrical systems and the lifts and stuff like that,” McCue said. “Collaboration is easy when everybody has the same goal, and the basic goal is just to help people.”
The two emphasized that the main purpose of the center is to serve as a safe space for those who are struggling with recovery. Indeed, the first floor features a massive kitchen and a game area with a Super Nintendo Entertainment System and card games.
“It’ll be a place for people in recovery just to come in and feel safe, hang out and connect with each other,” McCue said.
The basement is occupied by a gymnasium and exercise equipment, while the top floor is a public meeting space featuring a soundstage and multiple games of cornhole. Ritchie said the top floor space could potentially be used for events.
“We can host speaker jams here and events for the community,” Ritchie said. “For individuals that work in recovery in the field, we can have community events, hosting them.”
Meanwhile, the second floor consists of office space for certified recovery specialists who can hold private consultations with guests who need help.
“They can bring an individual in here and make referrals to providers in the community that we partner with,” Ritchie said.
Ritchie and McCue are both part of a “steering committee” in charge of determining the programs and activities the center will offer in the coming days, months and years.
Concrete plans for future events are still up in the air. However, Donna Jenereski, director of the Butler County Drug and Alcohol program, said the center is looking to do anything that will increase the odds of successful recovery.
“All pathways to recovery will be and are accepted here,” Jenereski said. “We really want to see where the need is and what people want to see here.”
However, some of the regular programming at the center includes HeART for Sobriety, a group which will meet every Friday to help those in recovery rediscover the artist within them. The center will also host recovery meetings on Tuesday nights.
Butler County Community College will also bring their summer “Hope Nights” to the Center starting on Thursday, June 20, with a karaoke and ice cream day.
For now, the center will be open only Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. However, the building will be available for use on off days for other programs. Volunteer Ken Clowes, who also organizes BC3’s “Hope is Dope” program, said the center hopes to expand its hours in the future.
“As we see what the community needs and how often they're using it, eventually, we'd like to see it open full-time,” Clowes said. “Maybe Monday through Friday ... possibly seven days a week.”
