ELWOOD, Ind. — Although the opening of the new and improved northern Madison County Community Health Center is months away, clinic officials hosted an Oktoberfest celebration Tuesday for the public.

The event, which took place in the future parking lot of the health center, included hot dogs and music for locals as construction on the new facility went on next door.

Bob Anders of the Madison County Community Health Center said the construction of a new clinic has been desperately needed in the northern part of the county.

The current facility at 1817 South A St. is only 2,300 square feet and demand for care is on the rise.

The new facility, a $1 million project, includes 5,200 square feet and an expansion of services. It will provide additional exam rooms including three dental, two pediatric, three standard and one obstetrics area.

The old facility did not offer dental care, he said.

The new facility, which is located in the site of the former After Dark club, stands at 1518 Main St. in the heart of downtown Elwood.

Elwood’s director of economic development, Bill Savage, said he and Mayor Merrill Taylor worked closely with the health center to find the downtown location.

“We had other locations, but they didn’t work.”

“We wanted it to be close to downtown,” Anders said, explaining that the health center hoped to avoid forcing patients to drive for services.

Health center patient Shiliela Wesch said the downtown location is a relief. “It’s a little bit closer to my house.”

Wesch is on disability and does not own a car.

“I’d have to walk a lot further to the doctor’s office.”

The center will open in January, Anders said, just as the clinic is seeing a sharp increase in demand.

The clinic, which has only three employees including its doctor, is experiencing extremely high demand for care, according to Beth Mullins, who schedules appointments for patients.