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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2021
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Community welcomes Three Oaks Township Library’s ‘greenspace’ at chamber ribbon-cutting
new parking lot, as well as greenspace – complete with gazebo – promises to draw even more young and old readers to the Three Oaks Township Public Library, particularly in the warm-weather months. Having been several years in the making, the improvements were celebrated at an official ribbon-cutting that was administered by the Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce Monday, Oct. 11. “Welcome to their new parking space but more importantly, their new greenspace they were able to integrate into the plan for their community to enjoy, their readers to enjoy – it’s going to be a great place to just come sit out in the sun and have the library be right at their door as well ,” Kimberlee Wendt, executive director of the chamber, said to the small crowd that had gathered outside of the library. Members of Wightman and Associates, the project manager, and Roggow Construction, its general contractor, were also present. The improvements include the
The crowd enjoys the benches in the greenspace
BY FRANCESCA SAGALA
expanded parking lot, along with a greenspace that boasts the gazebo, new trees, benches, and picnic tables. A new wall separating the library from the greenspace and steps leading up to the building were also part of the project. Patrons can also access Wi-Fi in the new outdoor space. Wi-Fi should be faster since the library now has MapleNet. Included in the gazebo is a ceiling fan and a phone charger. The library’s dropbox has also been moved to the front alongside the library building, which Debi Kearney, library board president, said seems “to work a little better – it’s pretty congested back here.” A few years ago, the previous Three Oaks Township Public Library Board decided to refinish the back parking lot when they saw a bright opportunity to provide a green space for book readers and the public. Kearney said that the new space allows for outdoor story time for young readers and possibly a place for special events. Eventually, they hope to bring native plants to the area to “give it a little more color.”
Kearney said that the entire project cost around $170,000. It was funded by millage money that the library already had saved. “It was nice to be able to use the monies that we did have,” she said. Cheryl Kersey, who’s been library director since 2011, said that the library had borrowed money to pay for some unexpected repairs to the building in 2010. “When I got here, we were in the red, and now we’re doing good so we could afford to do this,” she said.
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he project began in April. By the summer, children were utilizing the new space for special events – although there wasn’t actual grass yet (which Kersey said made it a “little harder”). “She (Kersey) would have blankets out on the grass and kids would be out here in story time, weather permitting - we’ve had little animals they’ve brought and shown here for an event. Even before we had the gazebo, we’d use the cement area,” Kearney said. The library is continuing to do curbside delivery. Patrons who don’t
Members of the Three Oaks Township Library Board pose with library director Cheryl Kersey
want to enter the building can call the library, so staff members will come outside and bring their books and other items to them curbside. Kersey said the library has fared quite well during the long Covid-19 pandemic. “We’ve been wide open since last year, but we have a lot more square footage and social distancing isn’t such a problem - people aren’t on top of each other when they’re inside,” she said. Members of the Three Oaks Township Library Board of Trustees are Debi Kearney, Tom Pauly, Patience Petro, Thomas Rosenbluth, Connie Slavens, and Christina Zebell. The library is located a3 N. Elm Street in Three Oaks. The building, which was built in 1905, once housed the historic E.K. Warren building and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s been the site of the library since 2000. For more information, visit www. threeoaks.michlibrary.org.
The crowd enjoys the steps and new wall in back of the library
