City Council Hears Plans For Reading Garden Expansion

A view of the proposed reading garden expansion at the Oskaloosa Public Library.

A view of the proposed reading garden expansion at the Oskaloosa Public Library.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Reading Garden has been a space at the Oskaloosa Public Library where the public has access to a quiet spot, while also providing space for small community gatherings.

Genus Landscape Architects provided a PowerPoint presentation of the plans for the expansion of the reading garden in the space that recently opened up after an apartment building was demolished.

Eric Holt with Genus presented a master plan for the space to the Oskaloosa City Council on Tuesday night.

The new space, located in the southeast corner of the block, would allow for larger outdoor events, such as the summer reading kickoff event.

The Oskaloosa Public Library is looking for fundraiser opportunities to help cover the approximately $243,000 cost.

The plans also include simple plantings, creating the ambiance of the space, but also allowing staff easy visibility into the space from the library building itself.

The hope is to create and extend the usefulness of the current library and outdoor space into the new space, while also cushioning the sights and sounds of a busy South Market into the space of the reading garden.

Holt said that the questions of how to make the space safe and buffered from the traffic. Extending the fencing that is currently in place will help keep wayward youth from heading into traffic, and the large planting areas at the corners will be nearly 20 foot deep to help absorb the sound while also screening it off.

The council also heard and approved a report for the Wastewater Facility Plan, Short-Term Improvements. It could cost approximately 1.6 milliion dollars, to be paid out over four years, for the short-term improvements.

The improvements are in response to an Iowa DNR amendment to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permits.

The council has worked with Fox Engineering to develop the short term plan, as well as the long term plan, for the City to fall in line with standards set by the EPA and Iowa DNR. That work will cost 35 plus million dollars and is scheduled to be completed by March of 2027.

The Council also accepted the completion of the Facade Improvement Project by Christner Contracting Inc., with the final payment request of $11,113.64.

Posted by on Sep 7 2018. Filed under Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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