Lombard residents voice differing views on library plan
Lombard Park District and Helen Plum Memorial Library officials are continuing to negotiate about the library's plan to build a $22.3 million structure next to Lilacia Park.
Now residents served by both taxing bodies are taking sides.
On Tuesday night, a group of residents asked park commissioners to reach a deal with the library board because voters in November approved a property tax increase so the outdated library could be replaced with a larger and more modern structure at 110 W. Maple St.
"Those who voted for it hope the library board and the park district board will reach a reasonable agreement that provides what the people voted for - a library in its current location," resident Kathy Brenniman said.
But another group attending the park board meeting urged commissioners to "stand firm" and protect Lilacia Park, which is the site of Lombard's annual Lilac Time festival.
"I would love to see a new library," resident Rita Schneider said. "But at the same time, I don't think you can fit a size 12 foot in a size 7 shoe. It's just impossible."
Schneider said the library would better meet its space and parking needs in another location.
While the park district has offered to do a land swap, Helen Plum officials say they don't plan to move the library.
But park commissioners say library officials knew for long before the referendum that they wouldn't be allowed to encroach into Lilacia Park.
So it should surprise no one that the park district has refused to give the library permission to build more than one story on land that used to be part of the park.
"I suggest your next step in this matter is to do absolutely nothing," resident Marymae Meyer told park commissioners.
Meyer said the park board already has enough to deal with, including the construction of a new recreation center.
"The library dilemma has been entirely manufactured by library leadership, and it is their problem to solve," Meyer said.
Still, resident Sarah Novey said she and others want the library to remain downtown.
By not reaching an agreement with the library, Novey said she believes the park board is disregarding her vote in the library referendum.
"You are disregarding everyone else's vote," she told the commissioners.
"I hope that you would change your mind and listen to the voters of Lombard," Novey said. "They want this library. They want a nice, state-of-the-art library like a lot of communities around us have."
Library officials are focused on developing a design for a roughly 52,000-square-foot building that would stay within its existing property and not encroach into the park.
On Wednesday, library officials said they have asked the park district to approve a memorandum of understanding on the project. They said they are awaiting a response.
Park board President Pete Nolan, meanwhile, assured residents this week that both sides are continuing to work together.
"We've been partners for over 90 years," Nolan said. "We're optimistic that there can be some type of agreement or understanding and that we can all move forward."