How The Community Realized Its Dream
of Building a
Library/Learning Center

About five years ago, the outline of a dream was formed in the Midtown Neighborhood Association (bounded by Swan, Speedway, Alvernon and Grant) through the encouragement of then-Council member Molly McKasson.  Molly was concerned about the numbers of high-risk factors in the area as determined by an evaluation of the 1990 census.  Her response was to encourage the establishment of the neighborhood association to address some of these concerns.

            Subsequently, $2 million dollars was included in a Pima County Bond election to be used for the building of a library/learning center in the area.  The association applied for and received $150,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds from the City of Tucson to be used for planning and preliminary items such as site selection and site use proposals.  The association conducted a survey and compiled a list (and ranking) of things residents wanted to see in their library/learning center if possible.  The most recent City of Tucson bond election included additional funding for the learning center and property at Fairmount and Belvedere has been purchased as the building site.

           A steering committee has been meeting with various city officials since 1997 and the proposed time line has the design process taking place during 2002, actual construction occurring in 2003 and occupancy by December 2003.  The library will focus on children’s books.  The steering committee hopes to initiate a walking (foot print) trail (based on the well-known “Freedom Trail” in Boston), tying together the library/ learning center, John B. Wright Elementary School and the Botanical Gardens which is located within the neighborhood’s boundaries. 
-- Submitted  by Martha Cooper, Vice President, Midtown Neighborhood Association
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