Community Corner

Your Views: Downtown Library's Cultural and Historical Significance

What are your thoughts about the efforts to designate the entrance of the Renton Library on the bridge overlooking the Cedar River as culturally significant in an effort to preserve - or at least mitigate its loss?

A state hearing examiner has given the citizens group Save the Cedar River Library ... Again! until today, Tuesday, August 6 to submit its final comments that encapsulate why the current library entrance over the foot bridge is in fact culturally and historically relevant, contrary to the King County Library System (KCLS) assertion that there were no such elements in its environmental review SEPA application.

Do you feel the main bridge entrance is culturally and historically relevant to the Renton Library and should be preserved? Why or why not?

As reported by the Renton Reporter last week, the group tried to make its case during a five-hour hearing last Tuesday. The city of Renton and the KCLS project teams have until August 8 to reply, and the hearing examiner will then have 10 days to rule on the group's appeal of the ruling.

The group filed the appeal in July, stating: "This appeal is a focused attempt to keep the Cedar River Library project moving forward at its present site and in a manner that reflects the important of our existing resource; one wholly owned by the Citizens of Renton."

Committee officer David Keyes said, "Our goal in filing this Appeal is to require KCLS recognize the significance of such elements, and honestly incorporate these elements (or mitigate their loss) in a modified site and building design."

Several members of the group spoke last week about why it was important to document and preserve the entrance. Among them was Renton resident Richard Bray, who shared his written testimony with Patch ahead of time.

"Every visit was an adventure. My kids always wanted to go the Cedar River Library, even though we lived closer to the Highlands branch. The railing outside the Cedar River Library entrance was also an imagination station. One of my kids said it felt like being on a ship and looking out to the sea. And funny things were imagined: what would it be like if someone tripped and all the books went over railing: instead of salmon going upstream--books floating downstream."

Tell us: Do you have similar memories of the library? What elements of the current library do you want to see preserved? Why?


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