With the walls of the new library and civic center beginning to take shape, the city of Canby has announced plans for a community plaza in the empty space between the new construction and the cinema.
And with the announcement, Community Outreach Specialist Mariah Dodson noted that there will be many community involvement and sponsorship opportunities available to get the project off the ground.
The total project budget is $295,000.
The city has submitted grant proposals to the tune of $105,000 and hopes to raise another $20,000 for a community match. City and Urban Renewal Agency in-kind and cash matches would fill out the remainder.
“This effort is so crucial, and so exciting, because if we can show enough community buy-in with this fundraising campaign, that makes us much more competitive in the eyes of the foundations who are reviewing our grant proposals,” said Dodson, the grant writer for the project. “We have the potential to leverage the contributions of the city and the Urban Renewal Agency, and about $20,000 in matching community funds, to open ourselves up to more than $100,000 in grant funding for the plaza project. That’s like saying for every dollar you donate — it could pull in four more.”
The Canby Community Plaza Project will create a 4,370-square-foot community gathering place alongside the new library and civic center building.
It will feature attractive bench seating, bike racks, paved area, landscaping, lighting, exhibit areas and flexible space. The plaza will serve as an extension of the library, providing additional programming space for the community to come together to expand its minds and lives.
It offers a focal point to exhibit the rich identity of Canby: The Garden Spot, said Dodson, with landscaping displays, eventual space for public art to reflect local history and culture, and a venue for intimate performances and community gatherings.
The city expects to hear back on the pending grant funding decisions in April and May.
Construction would then begin as soon as possible in order to have the space completed in time for the grand opening of the new library and civic center building in the fall of 2016.
“I see this as a really wonderful legacy project — to contribute to something that will be a center of the community for many years to come,” said Amanda Zeiber, assistant city administrator and project manager for the library-civic center project.
Originally Published in Canby Herald
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