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Wednesday, Oct. 01, 2008

Perdue to help Centerville break ground for new library

Gov. Sonny Perdue plans to be in Centerville on Tuesday morning as ground is broken for the new $3.6 million Centerville Public Library on Gunn Road.

While not giving a specific date for completion, Marsha Christy, Houston County Public Library System director, said the facility should be ready within two years.

The present Centerville Public Library, on Church Street next to City Hall, could have a future as a police station, said Patrick Eidson, city administrator.

Construction funding for the library comes from $2 million in state funds and $1.6 million from a special purpose local option sales tax approved by Houston County voters in March 2006, Christy said.

At 15,000 square feet, the new library, just off Houston Lake Road near Margie Drive, will more than triple the size of the present 4,200-square-foot facility.

The new library will have a separate children's section with a story time area. Plans also call for increasing the space for technology and meeting spaces, and for larger browsing areas for adult fiction, nonfiction and audio-visual collections.

"The need driving the new library is mainly a space issue," Eidson said, "and there's been more traffic on Church Street. With Gunn Road there'll be better access."

"The whole northwest community will benefit from the new library," Christy said. "It will more than adequately meet the needs of our rapidly growing population in the county."

Eidson said city officials and the police chief will explore turning the current facility into a police station. Renovation will present a unique challenge, he added.

The current police station is in the old city hall building, he said, and city officials feel turning the old library into a police station will be a good use of the space.

"We welcome a new library, it'll be a quality one," Eidson said. "We have a good one now, and it'll be better."

IF YOU GO

What: Groundbreaking ceremony for new Centerville Public Library

When: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7

Where: 206 Gunn Road, Centerville, near U Save It Pharmacy

To contact writer Jake Jacobs, call 923-6199, extension 305.