There’s a new way to create in Corydon.

Harrison County Lifelong Learning celebrated its new Maker Space with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house Thursday. The $50,000 project was created in partnership with Maker 13 with funding from the Duke Energy Foundation and Samtec Cares.

Harrison County Lifelong Learning director Tom Fields said he had been interested in a partnership with Maker 13 since his time with the economic development office, before he joined Lifelong Learning, and had previously discussed trying to bring a similar opportunity into Harrison County with community leaders. “In economic development, they’re always around maker spaces and that sort of thing,” Fields said. “Always looking for opportunities to introduce the public to some high-tech, advanced manufacturing concepts … it’s also an opportunity to help entrepreneurs who are wanting to use that equipment to make things, basically, that they couldn’t otherwise afford to do.”

Fields said that in early discussions of a maker space, community leaders saw interest in such a resource but struggled with logistical issues such as finding a location to host the space and the cost of the facility. “About 2-1/2 years ago, we reached out to Duke Energy Foundation, to Lisa Huber, and talked to her about the idea (of building a maker space),” said Fields. “And she was able to come up with some funding to help us, and then, about a year after that, we just couldn’t find the additional funding we needed. Then Samtec Cares came and helped us with additional funding, which allowed us to pull $50,000 to get some equipment together that we could use here.”

The Maker Space currently hosts a 40-watt laser for engravings, 3D printers and a “wazer.” “We have what is called a wazer, which is a water jet CNC machine,” said Fields. “So it cuts things with water, which is pretty cool when you can tell people you cut steel with water. It’s a pretty awesome concept.” A vinyl printer and cutter will be added to the space in the near future.

Fields said although there is not a current plan for expansion — due partially to a lack of space — he expects community interest in such a space could lead to eventual growth. “It would take a lot of additional help for us to be able to expand this program,” Fields said. “But we think that it’s going to be a very successful program that would potentially cause us to need additional space … I think it’s just one more step in trying to provide as many services for those individuals who have an interest in vocational education. One more avenue for those individuals to explore that.”

The Maker Space offers a shared membership program with Maker 13. After completing the required training courses, members are able to reserve equipment online and can receive discounts on future trainings. An introductory membership is available to first-time students for no cost. After completing their first class, students earn two free hours for equipment usage. Those hours must be used within 25 days of their first class.

For $35 per month, a micro membership provides members with 10 equipment hours per month. A standard membership gives members access to 25 hours each month for a $70 monthly rate, and a power membership offers 50 equipment hours monthly at the cost of $120 each month. Maker Space memberships are shared with Maker 13, so members are able to utilize the equipment or trainings in Corydon or Jeffersonville. The new Lifelong Learning Maker Space will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday each week. Wednesdays and Fridays will be training days.