The Saline District Library held a special groundbreaking ceremony for the new pavilion planned to be built as part of the larger improvement plan.
On Tuesday, June 4, Saline community members gathered to celebrate a ceremonial groundbreaking for the cool addition expected to come to the library, at 555 N Maple Road.
SDL Director Karrie Waarala said over 40 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony: members of the community including representatives of City of Saline government and police department, township governments, and Saline Area Schools Board of Education and administration; members of SDL Library Board, staff, and Friends of the Library; and representatives from Quinn Evans Architects and McCarthy & Smith Construction Management.
“This was the New Pavilion Groundbreaking Ceremony,” Waarala told the Sun Times News. “Our Renovations and Exterior Site Improvements Project includes a new outdoor pavilion, paved plaza with seating, and paved story trail around the library. Interior renovations include more study rooms, more comfortable seating, improved program rooms, a drive-up window to pick up requested materials, and more. Accessibility will be improved inside and out.”
More specifically, the new construction will add a 425 linear feet of concrete walkway, a 920 square foot pavilion structure, and a 3,245 square foot pedestrian plaza just west of the existing library building with the proposed improvements also including a renovated monument sign and new landscaping throughout the project area.
Overall, the building renovations include more study rooms, larger space for teens, increased comfortable seating areas, a drive-through service window to pick up holds, improved program rooms, a fully accessible non-gendered public restroom, and more.
The library is working with Quinn Evans Architects and McCarthy & Smith Construction Services on this project, which is scheduled for June to December 2024.
Interior renovations will take place in three phases to allow the library to stay open to the public as much as possible during construction. The project will cost approximately $4 million, paid for by SDL fund balances that were established for this purpose. The Friends of the Saline District Library have also generously committed to a $100,000 contribution to the project.
Waarala said you can read all about the project on the Renovations page of the library’s website.
