By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
The Northfield Public Library is seeking the community’s input at two open house meetings being held in the next month, with the first meeting this Thursday.
The library is working with TEN x TEN, a landscape architecture and urban design studio in Minneapolis. TEN x TEN will be on site to facilitate input from the community on opportunities and priorities from the library’s exterior spaces.
“Working collaboratively, we hope to create a vision plan for the library that includes solving current site issues such as erosion, tree loss, drainage, and accessibility, while also creating more inviting, programmable exterior spaces that meet the needs of the community,” stated Natalie Draper, the library director. “Increasing the ecological performance of the site will also help meet the city’s sustainability goals.”
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Among the issues cited include: the Impacts of climate change, which can be seen on the library’s site, most notably in the loss of three trees in the past year. Added to that, an ash tree at the bottom of the steps on Division Street is being treated for emerald ash borer, which may eventually need to be removed. Evidence of considerable erosion can be seen in the amount of soil washed down the Division Street steps with each rainfall.
Frost heaving has already caused the concrete walkways leading from Washington Street to the library to crack and shift.
According to the statement from the city. In addition to addressing these impacts, the vision plan seeks to reduce labor expenses and water use by minimizing or eliminating lawn, reducing pavement where feasible, and shading the space as much as possible to diminish summer heat accumulation. Additional goals include increasing access to outdoor spaces to gather for work and rest, improving access to and from the building, increasing ADA-accessible patio spaces to accommodate visitors of all ages and abilities, and addressing stormwater handling on-site to reduce the amount of stormwater running into the river.
The open house on Thursday is at 5pm at the library the second open house is on August 25th, also at 5pm.
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