The City of Lakewood approved the site development permit for the interim Lakewood Pierce County Library, which allows the design team to take the next steps.
The building contractor is now making plans to begin site construction and the design team is updating schedules to plan for rain or snow during construction. With the site development permit, the Library System can now work with the building installation team to provide a construction schedule ideally at the January Board of Trustees’ meeting.
The Library is pleased to announce this update as it’s one step closer to breaking ground on the new interim library.
Long-term Lakewood Libraries
The Library’s Board is pursuing planning for long-term Lakewood and Tillicum Pierce County Libraries, which will be a major portion of the Board’s work in 2024. Trustees are planning their decision-making framework and timeline for the long-range facility planning.
I think this is a sad state of affairs. Seems money is no problem for some. With a good library, sitting, cold an alone, in Lakewood, a new one is wanted. REALLY. Is this money well spent, or wasted. Some people, given a bit of power, do what they want, and not what is good for the community.
I agree completely. People who have nothing to do with Lakewood and couldn’t care less (a new director from out of state and a board who never even set foot in our beloved library, except one who came to take a look at the basement during a book sale) decided to destroy what is our only important civic building, only major civic accomplishment (dating back to the 1940’s) and point of civic pride. Is it because the developers in the background are constantly thirsting for more scope for destruction, pushing to make yet another buck? Shame on those in charge of the library system, and shame on the City of Lakewood for not defending its own city’s cultural and civic heritage. We are without a library, and more importantly — without our beloved, award-winning Tenzler building. Instead of prizing and protecting it, they are demolishing it. Who could have imagined that something like this could happen? Lakewood should have de-annexed from the library system when faced with their irrational and callous decision. Then the library would have reverted to Lakewood hands. The whole situation has been disgusting for me, my family and friends. I never thought I could have such an aversion to a library system, which I always thought a benevolent force for good. Not anymore.
Complaining because Pierce County Library closed the Lakewood branch. Now complaining they will begin building a new one. I don’t understand it. Why the old one was closed has been explained over and over again. I’m looking forward to having a new Lakewood branch. We have many happy memories of the old library. Looking forward to making more in the new one with my grandson ❤️
Really Miss B.. A leak in the roof, because of poor maintenances not a reason to close a building. Fix what needs fixing, and open up what we have. Qui twasting our money.
I agree. Lakewood has been without a library building since it was closed due to lack of maintenance and obvious awareness of the need for it. All this time spent on a short term building project when there are vacant buildings on every corner in Lakewood. Pop Up libraries were sufficient for our community per the library board before, why are they no longer sufficient? The final solution could have been being worked on instead of a costly interim project. This is not good stewardship of our resources. Why are we are letting them build more buildings that will require maintenance. Maybe the city of Lakewood should consider donating City Hall to these forward thinking, visionary non-maintenance library stewards of our previously voted resources. If you would like to see an example of how libraries systems should work to avoid interruption of services to patrons, check out the library in Gahanna, Ohio. That is a treasure and a community place of pride like the Tenzler Library was to Lakewood. I am so disillusioned.
“The library system” like so many, have taken on a life of their own, governed by strange characters, for purposes I don’t understand.
I know I speak for many who are too busy with life’s obligations to sort it all out.
Well, … apologies for coming late to this “discussion,” but I do so with confidence it will continue and will gather wider attendance, information (let’s call that daylight) and thoughtful consideration, in the months ahead. “Daylight” seems the right metaphor on this eve of Winter Solstice, with spring’s promise and anticipation for the siting and design of a new permanent library for Lakewood.
As for the discussion, which I hope will find creative voice, I am reminded of the icebergs I passed during a summer of merchant service, “driving” a victory ship to deliver supplies to Thule, Greenland. These were not the colossal ones of Antarctica or even so large as doomed RMS Titanic. But some were big, and the “bergy bits” were big enough to do serious damage. And like all icebergs, 90 percent lies beneath the surface.
I think for many of us, an iceberg describes the current state of “common knowledge” about our library dilemma: what leadership of the Pierce County Library System (PCLS) has faced, engagement by City of Lakewood – vision, interest and planning concerns of our mayor and city council, dedication of Friends of the Lakewood Libraries, and broad, affirming recognition of the roles and centering importance of a truly excellent library for Lakewood. Approaching spring over coming months, I believe we will appreciate growing daylight and better understanding about the difficulties affecting another “Tenzler” re-hab together with possibilities, indeed the challenge ahead to replace it. Coming together in the spirit of our incorporation, I believe we can get to Thule without hitting an iceberg.