CBPL Looking for New Site, Jan. 11

Coos Bay Public Library is hosting two public input meetings regarding three potential sites within John Topits Park for the new library building. The meetings will be held January 12, 2022. There is a meeting from 2:00 – 4:00pm at the Coos Bay Fire Station, 450 Elrod Ave and one from 6:00 – 8:00pm at the Coos Bay City Council Chambers in City Hall, 500 Central Ave. Approximately each year Coos Bay Public Library has 186,000 visitors, hosts over 500 programs for all ages, and circulates approximately 260,000 items. While the library’s main service area consists of the 27,000 people residing in Coos Bay, Charleston, and Allegany, it makes materials and services available to the entire county. Early in 2014, major foundation issues were discovered in the current library building. Due to the cost of repairs, the age of the facility, and other facility deficiencies, city council chose to pursue building a new facility instead of repairing the one at the current location. Since then, city staff, the Library Board, Library Foundation and Friends of the Library have been working together to develop plans for a new facility and determine a location that would site the new building out of the flood and tsunami zones. After an extensive search for property in the immediate downtown area, it was determined that there was not a piece that was large enough and out of the flood and tsunami zones. During the March 2, 2021 meeting, City Council made the decision to place the new library somewhere on a 25-acre parcel within John Topits Park. Now the city is asking the public to provide input on the three identified sites within the park during these two meetings.