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08/12/09
September council
workshop to focus on proposal for new library
The Town Council will hold its September workshop at the Thomas
Memorial Library to discuss a proposal for a new library facility, to
be located at its present Scott Dyer Road location.
The workshop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3.
At their meeting Aug. 10, town councilors heard a report from Thomas
Memorial Library Study Committee Chairman Nancy Marshall on the
committee's recommendation for a new facility to meet the needs of Cape
Elizabeth library patrons for the next 20-30 years.
The report is the culmination of 20 months of work by the committee,
which was established by the Town Council in November 2007. The
committee was charged with defining a library program that will
meet the needs of the community for the next 30 years; develop a
concept plan for proposed improvements to the library facility; and,
recommend a plan for both public and private funding for improvements.
Included in the plan will be an analysis of the opportunities to
continue to utilize space for records preservation activities.
With the help of library consultants Himmel & Wilson and architects Casaccio Architects, the committee drew
public input from several sources including focus group meetings, telephone interviews, a
Web-based survey, and small group "charrettes" that offered hands-on
opportunities for citizens to participate in the concept design
process. Public input was derived from approximately 1,000 residents.
The recommendation adopted by the committee is a "clean-slate"
approach, where the current facility would be replaced by a
new, energy and space efficient building that retains the historic
elements of the current library buildings.
The library, located at 6 Scott Dyer Road, includes the original schoolhouse donated to the
town by William Widgery Thomas, the former Pond Cove School annex, and
connector hallways that house new acquisitions and the library's month
art exhibit.
The clean-slate approach was favored by the study committee primarily
because it offers significant improvements at a cost, estimated between
$5.1 million and $7.8 million, close to the estimated cost of adding on
to the facility.
The committee rejected an option to retain the current building because
of accessibility and space deficiencies. The group also considered
reprogramming the current space, but it too was rejected because of
limited return on time and money spent.
Marshall said several assessments were conducted, including engineering, architectural
and functional. "More than 100 deficiencies
were found," Marshall said. Some of the more serious ones include
exceeded floor-load capacity; potential for mold/air-quality problems;
Americans with Disabilities Act and accessibility problems; ineffecient
heating, ventilation and air-conditioning; and, highly inefficient
layout for staff.
Marshall's presentation included drawings of what a new Thomas Memorial
Library might look like, including extensive use of glass to take
advantage of natural light. But she emphasized that it was only a
concept plan.
"If we put together what people would like, we would probably have a
mini-Pentagon," she said. However, priorities that are addressed
include energy efficiency, full accessibility, and location in the Town
Center.
The plan calls for a space of 22,500 square feet, compared to the
existing 13,000 square feet. The larger facility would serve the
library needs of Cape Elizabeth, as well as the Cape Elizabeth Historic
Preservation Society, for the next 20-30 years and beyond.
Funding
The committee report suggests a combination of public and private
funding should the council decide to proceed with the plan. It further
suggests that the town conduct a fund-raising capacity study to
determine how much private funding might be raised.
Town Councilor Anne Swift-Kayatta, who served on the library study
committee, added that the illustrations presented give an idea of the
size and mass of what a new library might look like, with a one-floor
design to enhance accessibility. Senior citizens and others with
mobility problems are dissuaded from going to the current library
because of the stairs, she said, adding that Cape Elizabeth has the
highest median age of any town in Cumberland County.
The library consultants will be at the Sept. 3 workshop, said Council
Chairman Jim Rowe. He encouraged anyone interested in the project to
attend. "This is a good time to get involved if you haven't been
involved already," he said.
More information about the work of the study committee, including
minutes, reports and archived website articles, are available on the Thomas Memorial Library Study Committee page.
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