Thursday's Internet Edition, September 09, 2010.
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| The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Lewisville Branch Library was held on July 27. |
Lewisville residents waited and hoped, and their patience was rewarded in November 2005 when the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved $3.4 million for the library’s construction. Last Thursday, July 27, members of that board joined with Lewisville’s council, citizens and library staff to officially break ground on the site of the new branch.
“Today is an especially wonderful day for Forsyth County and the citizens of Lewisville,” said Gloria Whisenhunt, Chair of the Board of Commissioners. “2006 marks 100 years of library service for Forsyth County, and there is no better way to celebrate than with the groundbreaking for a high-tech, well-equipped Lewisville Library. We are proud to begin construction, and we thank you for your patience.”
When completed, the Lewisville Library will be the largest branch in Forsyth County. With 15,000 square feet of space and room for 60,000 books, the new facility will be more than three times the size of the current library, which is only 4,000 square feet and holds 20,000 books.
Other features include a separate children’s area, a meeting room that can hold up to 100 people, more computers, rooms for quiet studying, a larger staff workroom, and a separate office for the children’s librarian.
“This library is the result of a joint effort between Lewisville and county government,” said Lewisville Mayor Tom Lawson. “I have been an avid supporter of the library for many years, and I am fortunate to be the mayor at the right time.”
Lawson recognized current Mayor Pro Tem Mike Horn and former mayors Bob Stebbins and Hank Chilton for their efforts in bringing the library to fruition.
“These three men worked very hard and provided the leadership which drove this project forward,” Lawson stated.
The new library was designed by the Winston-Salem architectural firm of Calloway Johnson Moore West. It will be a one-story brick and stone building located beside the G. Galloway Reynolds Community Center on Lucy Lane and will front Shallowford Road.
The facility will be accessible from two entrances- one at the parking lot and one along Shallowford Road.
The new library will better serve a community that has grown rapidly since the current branch opened in the Lewisville Plaza Shopping Center in 1977. Head librarian Merrikay Brown said she and her staff are looking forward to moving into their new location.
“Our current branch is just too small. We feel we have been inadequate in providing books because of our limited space, but our new building will enable us to provide what the community needs,” she said.
Brown hopes county commissioners will continue to support the library by providing funding for materials and additional staff members.
“We will need more employees. More staff will lead to more programming, including more services for children and young adults,” she explained.
Forsyth County is in charge of the building’s construction. Magnolia Construction is the general contractor for the project, which could take from 12 to 14 months to complete.
“By looking at these architectural plans, the new library has been worth the wait,” stated Cindy Poindexter, President of the Friends of the Lewisville Library. “We look forward to every brick being laid, and we are glad we can finally begin planning our projects.”
Bob Stebbins said the groundbreaking marked the beginning of a new chapter for Lewisville.
“We have tried for 15 years to get this library,” he stated. “We were asked [by County Commissioners] to be very patient, and we have been. We didn’t go to their meetings and make demands and pound on tables.
“Now our patience has paid off, and we are going to get what we want- a modern, up-to-date library. The wait was frustrating at times, but it has been worth it. For me personally, I am very proud and glad to have been a part of this effort.”