11-12-2024 9:11am

Saline District Library Opens New Pavilion With Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The Saline District Library held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the outdoor pavilion and story trail on Sunday. Karrie Waarala, library director, welcomed the guests who came for the official unveiling.

“I’m thrilled that so many people came out on a rainy day for an outdoor event. It just shows the excitement that has built up around the project,” she said. “ I think we have more people here today than we did at the ground breaking in June. I think word has really gotten out. People have been excited seeing the interior renovations, and getting to see what’s behind the construction fence all of these months. It means the world to me to see everybody out here enjoying this. This is exactly what it was built for.”

Future renovations will be helped by a generous gift from the Friends of the Saline Library. Linda DuVall, president of the Friends, presented a check for $100,000 to Lori Byron, president of the Saline District Library’s board of directors.

“Thanks to all of you who purchased books at the bookstore, we now have a check for $100,000 that we’re giving to the library to help with the renovation,” DuVall said. “Thank you for supporting the bookstore. We look forward to having you back in January.”

Byron accepted the check with thanks for the Friends’ generosity.

“We’re so excited to see the results of the input from the community coming to life,” she said. Byron was joined by past board president Bill Roach for the official ribbon cutting.

Waarala thanked all of those involved in the project, including members of the Friends of the Library, the board of directors, and many of the designers and architects who were instrumental in the construction.

“One of the things we found about our outdoor space was that during the pandemic, we started to do a lot of outdoor programming and it wasn’t accessible,” Waarala said. “Now we have this connection. The plaza connects the library to the pavilion, the story walk connects all the way around to the other side. So now everything about the outdoor areas are accessible, and I’m so delighted about that.”

“This building turns thirty this year. At the fifteen year mark, it doubled in size. It was only appropriate that, with the next fifteen years, we looked at how library services have changed, and we changed the entire landscape to meet that.”

After the ribbon cutting, attendees were offered cider and donuts as they enjoyed the new space. Waarala also invited visitors to tour the progress being made inside the library.

“We are just moving from Phase Two to Phase three of a three phase project. Two-thirds of the spaces have been renovated. When you come back in January for our huge celebration, you will see the entire library renovation complete.”

Waarala appreciates the community’s input in the library’s renovation, and is excited to meet the expectations of what the community envisioned for their library.

“I’d like to thank everyone in the community for the support that everyone shows for this library. Everywhere I go, I hear what a wonderful library it is. Mainly, I hear what a fantastic staff we have, and how helpful they are with all the great programs. I think libraries are such an important part of the community, and I want to thank all of you for valuing us the way you do.”