June 6, 2017 -- The City of Highland Park (City) and the Highland Park Public Library (Library) will host six community meetings to gather public input about a possible expansion of the Library that would create a community campus. The potential project includes expansion of the Library, improved parking and traffic flow, and relocation of the City’s Senior Center into an adjoining building, and Youth Services.
Public engagement and feedback is a critical component of this potential new community campus. Several upcoming public meetings are scheduled in addition to recent neighborhood meetings and on-going discussion and input by advisory groups, residents, the City and Library dating back to 2015.
Residents are invited to attend any meeting:
• Wednesday, June 21, 8:30 AM
• Wednesday, June 28, 7:00 PM
• Tuesday, July 11, 3:00 PM
• Thursday, July 13, 8:30 AM
• Monday, July 17, 7:00 PM
• Thursday, August 3, 3:00 PM
The same information will be displayed at all meetings to invite feedback from the public. The meetings will be in an open-house format whereby attendees may provide feedback regarding services and programs as well as facility use now and in the future. All meetings will be held at City Hall in the Pre-Session Conference Room, 1707 St. Johns Avenue.
In addition to the meetings, residents will have an opportunity to complete a survey that will be available July 1 through July 15 on the City’s website at www.cityhpil.com/libraryexpansion. All feedback will be compiled and presented to the City Council in August 2017 at a Committee of the Whole meeting.
The role of public libraries has evolved over the past decade. Libraries have changed from being quiet repositories of books to active community centers. The Highland Park Public Library has experienced this change. The project under consideration is an effort to improve efficiencies and provide the highest level of services while considering the need to address aging infrastructure, sustainability and internal and external space constraints.
The possible relocation of the Senior and/or Youth Services would create an easy to access community campus. The Senior Center would adjoin the expanded Library as a separate facility dedicated to Senior Services with an opportunity to share common area spaces with the Library as available. The Youth Services area would be expanded to appropriately meet the needs of students of all ages during the day with a focus on after school care.
Additional Information and on-going communication about this pending project are available at www.cityhpil.com/communitycampus. If you have any questions, please contact City Manager Ghida Neukirch at 847.926.1000 or Highland Park Public Library Director Jane Conway at 847.432.0720.