Library Patio is a New Community Outdoor Gathering Place for Events or Just Quiet Contemplation
By Michele Deblock
The “Friends of the Scotts Valley Library” is pleased to announce that the new patio of the Scotts Valley Library is now ready for your enjoyment. The patio’s completion was a community effort, funded by generous community donations including substantial gifts from Laura and Terry LaPorte and the late Dorothy Hale.
“The library patio is a wonderful sanctuary where you can escape to read a book,” notes Derek Timm, President of the Friends of the Scotts Valley Library. Further, he envisions, “community groups hosting gatherings, performances and events on the patio in the future.”
The patio is the result of efforts that began with a bidding process in April 2012. After design firm Janecki & Associates was selected and presented the project to the Scotts Valley City Council in April 2012, the Friends of the Library awarded the project to local Scotts Valley landscaper, Coastal Evergreen. “Working with Coastal Evergreen to execute the entire patio, made for a better cohesive end-result,” says Amy West, Janecki & Associates principal and lead for the project. “This project is a reflection of our community and we stand committed to enhancing and connecting with our community.”
The process was a collaborative effort and a confluence of local expertise and generosity. Coastal Evergreen was responsible for the execution of the patio and went above and beyond to create a patio within a budget. They sourced local, donated reclaimed wood for the fence and reconfigured the existing irrigation. Larry Bush of Los Animas Concrete, donated boulders to the patio landscape, followed by local Central Home Supply who offered their time and equipment to pick up the rocks and transport them. Posts were reused and the old fencing was given to the city. The concrete was stained, lighting added and drainage hardware installed.
Not only was structural integrity important to the project, but aesthetic value was also a priority. The scale of the patio is compatible with the size of the industrial building in order to reflect as an extension of the library. Lines on the patio pick up the pattern inside the library of strong vertical and horizontal banding. Plants and colorful furniture connect with the vibrant hues, as library patrons look outward through the glass panels.
The brightly colored furniture was also made possible by generous donations to the library and is just one of the sponsorship opportunities at the busy library, that sees over 15,000 patrons monthly. Business and personal donors can have their name engraved on decking planks, purchase furniture, or their family names displayed on colorful ceramic leaves by local artist Beth Allison Gripenstraw. For more details, visit www.fsvpl.org or contact Derek Timm at 831/239-9203. With the expertise of Janecki & Associates, Coastal Evergreen and countless patrons from the community, the library patio is now available as a peaceful outdoor resource that further beautifies our popular library and makes it an enjoyable place to visit.