(Photos courtesy of Deschutes Public Library)
More than 300 community members and local leadersattended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Redmond Library today. Many in attendance went home with bricks from the previous building to commemorate a small piece of Redmond history.
“I appreciate everyone who came out to the groundbreaking, especially the youngest among us,” said Library Director Todd Dunkelberg. “This building is for everyone in Redmond, but I am particularly excited about the role it will serve for young people. With more modern amenities, space for children and teens, and better access to digital services, this is a library for our future.”
“I’m incredibly excited for this project, especially how it will serve our youth in Redmond,” said Library Board member Cynthia Claridge. “The new library will have something for everyone, but it will be especially helpful for our youth who are engaging with books and materials in ways that many of us could never have imagined when we were young.”
The Redmond Library is now officially under construction after six years of planning and preparation. The new 40,000-square-foot library is slated to open in fall 2024. A temporary Redmond Library location is now open Monday–Saturday at 2127 S Highway 97.
Redmond’s population has increased more than 225% since the previous library came into service in 1996. The community now needs a larger space with more modern amenities and services for the vibrant Redmond community.
Once completed, the new Redmond Library will feature large and divisible meeting spaces for community use, collaborative and co-working spaces, DIY spaces for creative activities and programs, a dynamic children’s area, a dedicated space for teens and more.
In November 2020, Deschutes County voters supported the Library’s bond measure to expand and improve libraries across the county. In addition to building a new library in Redmond, bond funds are being used to remodel and update existing libraries in Downtown Bend, La Pine, Sisters and Sunriver, as well as for the construction of a new library at Stevens Ranch in east Bend to serve all Deschutes County residents.
Find more information about the Library’s bond-funded projects on its website: deschuteslibrary.org/futurelibraries • deschuteslibrary.org
