Forest Park Renovation 2009

Photos from the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Saturday, December 5, 2009

Joy Mavredakis, Mayor Domenic Sarno, State Representative Brian Ashe, Keith Wright (Ward 6 Councilor-elect), Kateri Walsh (City Councilor), Sheila McElwaine (Library Commissioner), Lee Fogarty (Interim Library Director) at the December 5 ribbon cutting ceremony for the renovated Forest Park Branch Library.

Joy Mavredakis ready to cut ribbon for the new accessible entrance to the building.

Mayor Domenic Sarno speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Branch Manager Reggie Wilson is on left.

And don't miss WWLP Channel 22's video featuring the newly renovated building and neighborhood residents.

History of the Forest Park Branch Library
1909 - 2009

In the fall of 1909, eager readers could take a ride on Springfield's electric trolley line to the corner of Belmont Avenue and Oakland Street in the "planned suburban residential community" of Forest Park to the new Forest Park Branch Library. Built during the golden age of the American public library , it was, like most Carnegie libraries, a hub for social activities. East Coast steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie gave $260,000 to the city of Springfield, Massachusetts to build a central library and three branch libraries, the Forest Park Branch included. One hundred years later, a drive to this very intersection leads you to the same beautiful Beaux Arts style library, which continues to be a neighborhood center for activities of all kinds, educational and social. The Forest Park Branch Library has hosted everything from Summer Reading Club to Meet the Political Candidates, rock concerts to Student Tutors and Readers (1962), educational films (1956's French film The Red Balloon and 1999's Three Seasons ) to yoga sessions (1960's), travel programs to book groups!

In May of 1898, using fifty books borrowed from the Central Library, Rev. Willard E. Waterbury arranged to have a weekly "Book Night" at the Belmont Avenue Baptist Chapel, located at the corner of Belmont and Euclid Avenues. (Two ladies drove their horse and buggy to the Central Library weekly to pick up a new selection of books.) In 1901 the early library was open two afternoons and evenings a week - one day at the Park Memorial Baptist Church and the other at the Faith Congregational Church. Books were transferred from one church to the other by a boy on a bicycle! In 1905 a room was permanently made available at the Baptist Church for use as a library two days a week.

City Librarian Hiller C. Wellman noted in his 1908 Annual Report the generous gift of Mr. Andrew Carnegie for construction of a branch library in Forest Park. Contributions from 581 residents of the district bought land for the new library. Originally about half the size of the current building, it was erected for a cost of $17,5000. In 1908 the cornerstone was laid and the Forest Park Branch Library officially opened on February 17, 1909. By 1924 it was so overcrowded that neighborhood residents, led by Henry R. Johnson and Col. B.A. Franklin, raised almost $45,000 for expansion, resulting in additional stack and work areas plus a Children's Room. In 1966 neighborhood resident Miss Frances Plimpton Keyes died at age 99, leaving a significant amount of money to the Springfield Libraries. Miss Keyes loved both books and children so it was decided to use her gift to completely remodel and refurbish the children's room at the Forest Park Branch. In 1971 it received new landscaping through the work and generosity of the Forest Park Civic Association. 1976 saw the renovation of the basement, sometimes referred to as the "Rathskeller." Again prominent was the support of the Forest Park Civic Association, as well as city and grant monies. In recent years repairs have been made to the roof and parapet, and in 2008 grant money was awarded to the branch for improvements in the Teen area. Later in that year, $361,617 was appropriated by the City for a long-needed building accessibility project, leading us to today.

The Forest Park Branch Library has been closed to the public since June of this year for much needed renovations. An inclined walkway now leads to a new exterior door on Oakland Street and a lift for our visitors. The long awaited "little elevator" is now ready to take those with mobility issues into every level of this one hundred year old library! Take it up and browse the wonderful collections, visit the Children's Room or teen area, use the computers or simply sit and take in the atmosphere. Alternately, by taking the lift to the lower level guests can access a new bathroom (unisex universal access), including a baby changing station, a new water fountain, and also the Community Room, a free meeting space used by many non-profit groups, and the perfect spot for showing movies and holding various programs for adults and children.

Reopening of this magnificent classic building is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. with a formal Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony planned for Saturday, December 5. Now all people will have access to the services and benefits of this branch. We encourage you to join us to celebrate this milestone for the Forest Park Branch Library, and the history it represents to the City of Springfield.

Renovation Updates!

Updates as of November 4:

The Forest Park Library will reopen on Saturday, November 21! Watch for announcement of Formal Open House on Saturday, December 5!

Pictures of new features!

Updates as of October 22:

• The lift has been installed.
• The ramp to the Community Room has been completed.
• Interior painting has been completed.
• A new bathroom (unisex universal access), including a baby changing station, has been completed.
• There is now a water fountain on the lower level.
• The existing public restrooms are currently being completely renovated.
  

Our re-opening date will be announced in the next couple of weeks!

Updates as of September 10:

• The new doors and windows are in and painting is being scheduled.
• The sheetrock in the lift area is up and being taped.
• The grid for the dropped ceiling is in.
• The stairs in the lift area are nearly finished.
  

Accessibility improvements are currently underway at the Forest Park Branch Library, now temporarily closed. Soon an inclined walkway will lead to a new exterior door on Oakland Street and a new lift for our patrons. The expected completion date is mid-October. Click on the images below for larger plans of the improvements!

Attached are partial floor plans for accessibility improvements to the Forest Park Library. One shows the inclined walkway and exterior door on the Oakland Street facade (replacing an existing door) and the mid-level interior landing with stairs going up to the main floor and down to the bathrooms and community and the mid-level entrance to the lift. The second is a partial basement floor plan showing the basement lift entrance, the ramp into the community room, new drinking fountains, refitted bathrooms and a new and accessible unisex bathroom. The project is scheduled to begin in late June and be completed in mid to late October 2009.

Forest Park Branch Library site plan