Groundbreaking held for Litchfield Park Library; Maricopa County helped pay

Speakers at a brief groundbreaking ceremony announced the start of construction on a new Litchfield Park Library in Maricopa County, saying the county helped pay for the project.

The previous Litchfield Park library, they said, was much smaller and was built in the 1970s. "There that building was built in the seventies, and there were issues with the facility that were becoming more and more difficult to deal with in addition to the growth of the users in that facility," Speaker 2 said, noting the older building could not accommodate current user numbers.

Organizers and speakers said the new library will provide more capacity, a larger collection and expanded technology to serve residents. "We're gonna be able to fit more and a larger collection and more technology," Speaker 2 said. Speaker 3 added that the library "will be a gathering place for the community" and that locating the facility near the Hilltop performing arts academy and performing arts center will help sustain activity at the site.

Speakers said they hope the surrounding area, in conjunction with a nearby high school, will be developed by August and that a ribbon cutting can be held for the new facility. One speaker called the project "a great addition to the community." The remarks did not specify the dollar amount of Maricopa County's contribution, the final construction timeline beyond the August target, or the lead agency overseeing construction.

The ceremony included a brief aside when an alarm from a passing fire truck sounded and closed with a ceremonial countdown.