At a celebration on Saturday morning, July 13th, attended by some 150 people, the totally-rebuilt Holgate Library once again opened its doors to the public.
As reported previously in THE BEE, the past incarnation of the single-story Holgate Library wasn’t just remodeled – it was entirely demolished and rebuilt from the ground up, as a two-story, ultramodern, 21,000 square foot structure. The rebuilding was completed on schedule, in about 18 months – a remarkable achievement in and of itself.
“We started seriously planning this project back in 2015, making this a long-term effort – but one well worth it, as I think most people here would agree today,” expressed Vailey Oehlke, Multnomah County’s longtime Director of Libraries, who retired in June after serving in the position for the past 15 years.
“One of the things that’s really striking about this building, is that it really demonstrates where public libraries are going into the future,” Oehlke told THE BEE. “That is – really centering on ‘community’, and the people who will be using this building. There are still lots of books inside; but, in addition, there’s also lots of space for people to interact, to engage, or just to have alone time.”
During the ceremony, Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson proclaimed, “This is the very first completely new library that we’ve created. This is such an amazing reflection of growth, and what it’s going to look like for our communities.”
She reeled off facts about the building, pointing out that it’s “on track” to be LEED Gold Certified, which is one of the highest levels of energy efficiency awarded to buildings. Its design elements include the “mass timber” used in construction, high-efficiency mechanical systems, radiant heating in the floor, and 111 photovoltaic panels on the roof to convert sunlight into electricity.
With the sun quickly warming the area, participants seemed eager to proceed inside the new air-conditioned building. The speeches were soon over, and the ribbon-cutting signaled the official grand opening of Holgate Library.
Inside, folks toured the new facility – an approximately $27 million project — which now includes:
Large play and learning space for children and familiesDedicated enclosed “Teen Room”Multiple flexible rooms for programming and meetingsUpdated technology and InternetOutdoor plaza for community members to relax and connect
The Holgate Library is still situated right where it was before – at 7905 S.E. Holgate Boulevard. For information on its hours of operation, events, and services, go online – http://multcolib.org/hours-and-locations/holgate-library
Now, take a few moments to experience the opening ceremony at the new library – in this brief and exclusive BEE VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_r95KdLZFEE
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