Welcome to Bronxville Library’s Lovely New Reading Garden
By Monica Malpass/FOBPL Member
Cicero was right and now the Bronxville Library is delighted to announce that it has both a world-class library and a stunning new reading garden.
The Reading Garden debuted at a ribbon-cutting on June 14th with 100 guests. Among the attendees were politicians, patrons, Village and Library trustees, members of the Friends of the Bronxville Public Library as well as library enthusiasts.
Celebrating were: Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, New York State Senator Shelley Mayer, County Legislator James Nolan, County Executive George Latimer and Bronxville Mayor Mary Marvin, with Library Trustee President Christina Krettecos presiding.
“This was a labor of love for so many of us and the community pulled together, with typical Bronxville Spirit, in a big way to bring this new gathering space to our village,” said Christina Krettecos, Library Trustee.
“The library project was a classic public-private partnership where every segment of the village came together for the common good and another example of why our village is so special,” said Mayor Mary Marvin.
The reimagined outdoor space features:
• seating for 60
• built-in wooden benches designed by our own Tom Dordevik and built by the same company as New York City’s High Line
• white marble edging repurposed from the original Tuckahoe Marble back steps a beautiful triple patio space
• a Rain Garden that teaches conservation
• enhanced lighting-allowing patrons to see better during evening library hours
Groups ranging from the weekly children’s story hour, to a knitting class or solo bookworms can all head outside now to use the outdoor living room.
The BPL Outdoors Lasting Legacy Project took two years of planning and a year of fundraising. It was designed by architect Ronan Wilk of Peter Gisolfi Associates and constructed by Luigi Casale and his team at Tony Casale Inc.
“When our community highlighted a need for outdoor space, we heard them and worked together with the support of the Village and New York State to create a beautiful space in less than a year. This doesn’t happen everywhere. This is a true community project,” said Carolyn Mattson, FOBPL President.
“The Reading Garden has been so warmly received by every generation of Village residents … from teenage girls practicing cartwheels, to toddlers smelling the flowers, to a gentleman reading his book at lunchtime,” said Amy Brown FOBPL Vice President.
Generous patrons include: Deirdre and Michael Doheny, Leah and Clayton Pope, Irene von Jelen and Frank Emil Salerno, Georgia Wall and Donald Gogel, Carolyn and Patrick Mattson and hundreds of other donors.
Thanks everyone and hats off to the FOBPL Board for spearheading the capital campaign.
Please come enjoy the Reading Garden soon.
Photos by: David Fenner