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After years of planning and hard work by the community, Gladstone and Clackamas County, construction on the new Gladstone Library is beginning this month.
Residents of all ages joined Gladstone City Council members and Clackamas County Commissioners to mark this historic event in downtown Gladstone earlier Wednesday.
The library is part of a county effort, in conjunction with Gladstone, to bring a one-library, two-branch model to the Gladstone, Jennings Lodge and Oak Grove areas. Construction on the Oak Lodge Library is expected to begin this fall.
“I think it’s nothing short of a miracle that the coordination between the Oak Lodge community and Jennings Lodge and Gladstone came to a happy place – a place of collaboration and agreement,” said Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas. “That was huge … This has been a community effort and that means all of us.”
The festivities included speeches by dignitaries and leaders of the community advisory task force, refreshments, bookmarks and wildflower seeds for all, and books and crafts for children.
“I’m so happy to see so many people to celebrate the library today,” said Lisa O’Brian, the vice chair of Gladstone Community Library Planning Task Force. “It’s a wonderful day that we’ve long anticipated.”
The 6,000-square foot library has a master plan developed through a team effort between a community advisory task force, county staff and consultants. The new library is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024.
Upgraded features at the new library will include flexible meeting space, designated areas for children and teens, an external book-drop, public computers, and work space for the Library Foundation.
“For decades, Clackamas County’s library system has been dedicated to providing outstanding services for residents,” said Clackamas County Commissioner Martha Schrader. “With this new library, all residents of the Gladstone Library service area and beyond will be able to enjoy all the library has to offer in a larger, more beautiful space.”
More information about the library project is available online.
