I'd like to see a new library downtown as the current one is old and was
designed as urban renewal, and not as a library. I'm also pleased to see
the library board commit to the branches.
At the same time I'm worried about plans to put housing on the top level of
the library. Bad idea.
Rich chandler - Ward 9
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Brauer
> Interesting to see that the Dave Jennings-led Greater Mpls Chamber of
> Commerce has come out against the library initiative...particularly the
> $30 million being used to upgrade the branches. I said to my wife, "In the
> old days, this might have meant something, but do you know any voters who
> listen to the Chamber today?" I mean, they were against the first school
> board referendum in '91(?). but lost. Then again, I think this library
> initiative is not as broadly supported, so perhaps the Chamber's
> opposition will be more of a factor.
>
> As a neighborhood guy whose child-filled world has constricted to a few
> square blocks, I'm a little pissed these folks are saying "build ours and
> not yours." I realize a downtown library is used by all members of the
> public, but it is definitely the one most central to the business
> community. If it wasn't for the business community, we could build our big
> mega-library in another central community, perhaps on much cheaper land --
> helping to revitalize a neigborhood.
>
> I'm not sure I support the new downtown library yet, but I wouldn't
> support a downtown-only plan. (I'm probably the type the library board was
> thinking of when the rolled the branches into their referendum -- evidence
> that a downtown library has some popularity problems.) I half-think it
> would be better to spend $110 million on the neighborhood libraries, and
> make them incredible, though I'll admit this is more whimsy than analysis.
>
> David Brauer - King Field - Ward 10
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
