Library won’t be built in park

In a letter recently sent to city officials, the Geneseo Library Board officially announced that it will not build in the city’s north park.

In early August, with donations to the library building fund reduced to a trickle, a group representing downtown businesses urged the library board to re-open informal conversations with Geneseo Mayor Pat Eberhardt and others regarding the north park site, previously the subject of considerable speculation.

After more than a month however, certain issues that had clouded earlier efforts still remained unresolved, said library trustee and acting board president Jim Hale. Issues included among others, concern over the rubble buried during razing of the old junior high building and a lack of dedicated parking.

In the letter to city officials, Hale conceded, “These difficulties are basically no one’s fault, but rather represent pre-existing conditions that seem either too expensive or too debatable for satisfactory resolution.”

He went on to express his appreciation for the efforts of those who attempted to make the park location a possibility.

“Some of our fellow citizens will be disappointed with this decision, but it seems the only responsible avenue open to us,” said?Hale. “We have already fallen too far behind to be able to build the sort of structure we originally envisioned.

“Although we have about two-thirds of the funds we projected, time, inflation and the general economy dictate that we approach our project in affordable phases. We intend to introduce Phase No. 1 and begin site preparation in the near future,” he said.

The board and its leadership committee will strive to revitalize and expand fund-raising activities, said Hale.