Hope House volunteers Kevin Washer (right) and Derek Kennedy sand a bus Nov. 17 at Hope House that will be used for a transportation program offered by the non-profit community development center. (Wes Swietek/wswietek@bgdailynews.com)

Although it was controversial for many years in our community, we believe the Kentucky Transpark has proven to be a success.

Since groundbreaking began there more than a decade ago, lots of new companies and businesses have decided to locate there, bringing along with them thousands of new jobs.

Some of these companies have come from overseas to do business at the transpark.

That is very telling about the transpark’s reputation not only in the U.S., but around the world as well.

As a community, we are very fortunate to have the transpark located here and benefit from the employees that it brings in who end up residing here and spending money in our city, helping our local tax base.

It’s really a win-win situation.

While we are elated that there are jobs currently available for people in the community to accept, some potential employees are having trouble getting transportation to and from the transpark.

Thankfully, local nonprofit Hope House Ministries is stepping up to the plate to help.

The nonprofit, which works with churches and businesses and offers wide-ranging programs such as financial and other counseling services, a recovery center for men, a community store and English as a second language class, has announced that beginning Jan. 3 it will be offering rides from its West 10th Avenue location to the transpark.

On Jan. 3, Hope House will offer bus rides from 6 to 10 a.m. and from 6 to 10 p.m. weekdays to and from the transpark on a 15-passenger bus.

People not being able to get to work at the transpark has been described by some as a big roadblock for people who want a good-paying job that is out of their reach because they lack transportation.

This service being offered so generously by Hope House goes a long way toward removing that roadblock.

People who want good-paying, steady jobs should never miss out or not be able to work at the transpark because of transportation issues.

Hope House is attempting to alleviate that problem, and we think they are offering a invaluable service to these employers, their potential employees and to the community by offering these rides to and from the transpark.

Officials associated with Hope House say they really want this to be a game changer for the community.

We believe through their selfless actions it has a very good chance of being just that.