Last week the community celebrated as ground was officially broken for the 5,000-square-foot expansion of the Fayette County Library in downtown Fayetteville.
The expansion will add about 1,000 square feet added to the large meeting room including a stage. The other 4,000 square feet will be added to create a new reading room on the opposite side of the library, which will also create more room for bookshelves, tables, study areas and several meeting rooms for private groups to study together.
County Commission Chairman Herb Frady, among several library supporters who spoke at last Wednesday’s ceremony, noted that the library is well used by many.
”As many people come through here as they do the Varsity sometimes,” Frady said.
Several speakers cited the dedication and exuberance of Library Director Christeen Snell, who in turn was complimentary of the library staff who make it an inviting place to visit day in and day out.
Commissioner Allen McCarty remarked that in his recent visits to the library he felt “at home.”
Snell also thanked former County Commission Chairman Jack Smith for getting the ball rolling on the project. Smith deflected the praise, saying he was simply acting on behalf of the entire board, which ultimately approved the expansion.
Smith credited the library staff for providing programs and services “second to none.”
Funds for the project will come from remaining funds from a special purpose local option sales tax years ago of which a percentage was set aside for improvements to the library. This project will spend the remaining funds from that SPLOST account, officials said.
The project is being supervised in-house by Greg Owenby, head of the county’s building grounds and maintenance department.
Construction on the project is expected to wrap up in August, officials said.
