South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Green Park mayor seeks to keep library in his city

City’s resolution came a little too late, library official says

As St. Louis County Library officials continued last week with their plans for a new Tesson Ferry Branch Library in Affton, a Green Park official asked the library district’s Board of Trustees to keep the library in his city.

“Perhaps I should begin my remarks by using the term, ‘Location, location, location,'” Green Park Mayor Bob Reinagel told the board at its Oct. 21 meeting in Florissant. “The Tesson Ferry Library is located ideally from a geographic, as well as an accessibility standpoint, midway between surrounding libraries. It is accessible by a great number of the walking public, and is also located at an intersection of two major thoroughfares on a commercial street (with) no traffic problems.”

That starkly contrasts, Reinagel continued, with the library’s preferred choice of location across from Grant’s Farm.

“The proposed location at Musick and Gravois could be a traffic and safety nightmare,” he said. “It offers no walking accessibility, and its location is closer to another existing facility. The library commission has many options. The existing library is functional, so there should be time to explore all of them … Please work with us.”

The board does not respond to public comments at its board meetings, but it will send a response to Reinagel and Green Park, said board President Lynn Beckwith.

Library Communications Director Jennifer McBride said Monday the library board had not yet prepared a response for Reinagel.

“I spoke with him on the phone prior to the board meeting and let him know that the resolution came a little too late,” she told the Call. “The library considered over 25 locations for the new Tesson Ferry (library), including several sites in Green Park. The Musick/Gravois site was the most viable option, providing enough space for the library’s needs, without a costly demolition or environmental concerns.”

Green Park aldermen voted 5-0 Oct. 11 to work with the Board of Trustees to find a new site for the library in Green Park.

The resolution notes how important the library is to Green Park and its residents.

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