County set to break ground on new Ramona library on Monday
Shovels are poised for the groundbreaking of the newest branch of the San Diego County Library in Ramona. A ceremony is set for Monday, Nov. 16, at 10 a.m. at 1349 Main St.
When completed, the 20,894 square-foot building will be more than four times larger than the existing library on Montecito Road and is the cornerstone of a larger intergenerational campus planned for the site.
Chairwoman Dianne Jacob, who represents Ramona on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, said construction would not have been possible without tremendous support from the people of Ramona.
“The Friends of the Ramona Library and all of Ramona are about to watch their library dreams rise before their eyes,” Jacob said. “The library is blazing new trails because it will be the centerpiece for the future intergenerational campus.”
“This project shatters the myth that libraries are quiet places for books,” said Jose Aponte, director of the county library system. “It will be a true community gathering place, alive with people, ideas and multimedia.”
The $11.6 million library is being funded mostly by the county with more than $1 million coming from the Friends of the Ramona Library for fixtures and furniture.
The building’s architecture is Southwest Tuscan-style and includes a spacious community room, study rooms, a space for teens, a larger children’s area with a homework center, public computers and a Friends of the Library bookstore.
The project will meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold criteria and include water-efficient landscaping, water-conserving fixtures, photovoltaic panels and parking spaces for fuel-efficient vehicles.
The project’s design-build team is C.W. Driver, Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects and Manuel Oncina Architects.
The library is targeted to open December 2010. The larger, intergenerational campus will eventually include a senior center, childcare and teen facilities. The campus will connect to the Santa Maria Greenway Park.
Library services will continue in the current library at 1406 Montecito Road until the new branch opens.