DELHI TOWNSHIP, Ohio — For over 25 years, the Delhi Township library has remained virtually the same.
“It was pretty much the same I knew when I was a young child growing up, or even bringing my kids here,” said resident Kim Goddard.
Now, the library will undergo an $18 million reconstruction.
WATCH: Why officials say the $18 million upgrade is needed, and what it will include
Construction for new $18M Delhi Twp. library set to begin soon
“It’s hard to see it, say goodbye to it because it’s been around so long and it’s just a staple of Delhi, but improvement, you know, that’s the future,” said Russell Goddard, a Delhi Township resident.
Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library and Delhi Township say that reconstruction is needed not only to modernize the space, but also to serve the ever-growing population of Delhi.
“We’ve saw how much growth there is in Delhi over the last few years. The families are really booming; we wanna make sure we capture that with our branch as well, having a larger dedicated playspace for the kids,” said Nate Pelley, the regional manager of the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Regional Library. “We wanna make sure we’re providing the community with exactly what they want from a modern library.”
The new library will include a drive-thru service window, a community room, study rooms, a makerspace and more.
“It’s gonna be a real crown jewel for the west side of Cincinnati, no doubt about that,” Pelley said.
In a few weeks, the library will be completely demolished, but residents won’t be without a library for long. During construction, the library’s temporary home will be just a quick walk away.
“They’re going to set up a temporary location right here in Delhi Park; that’s literally just almost right across the street if you would. In the Delhi Lodge so that way we can still keep some type of facility that’s up and running for our residents.”
The library’s last day of operation will be Saturday, Aug. 29. Library officials say they plan to open the temporary location the week after Labor Day.
Construction on the new library is set to be completed next fall.
WCPO
Get in touch with WCPO 9 News Hamilton County west side reporter Marlena Lang
WCPO 9’s Marlena Lang covers Hamilton County’s west side. Have a story idea or tip for Marlena? Fill out the form below to send her an email!
Replay: WCPO 9 News at 6PM