Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Renovation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Salt Lake City library reopens rooftop deck as beehives return
Summary
At a Library Square event, a library representative thanked contractors and elected officials while Mayor Mendenhall praised the new rooftop deck as a "third space" and announced the return of two beehives that produce about 50 pounds of honey a year.
A library representative opened a Library Square ceremony by thanking the project's board, the Salt Lake City mayor and city council and a long list of contractors and consultants for completing a renovation of the Salt Lake City Public Library's rooftop deck.
"Thanks to our board of directors," the host said, and singled out Paulson Construction and GSBS Architects among the firms that led construction and design. The speaker also credited the library's facilities and IT teams for supporting the reopening and highlighted a mural of a Salt Lake City bee by artist Cole Eisenhower.
Mayor Mendenhall took the podium to praise the renovation and to describe the roof as a new public "third space." "This rooftop deck feels like a brand new building," Mendenhall said, saying the space will offer "refuge and imagination" and become a place for gatherings, from everyday visits to weddings and parties.
The mayor also announced that the library's bees are returning to the rooftop. "It's about 50 pounds of honey every year," Mendenhall said, adding the hives originally came to the library in 2010 and have won fair ribbons for their honey. He said the site has two hives (two queen bees), with each hive supporting an estimated 20,000 to 80,000 worker bees, and that worker bees can forage as far as five miles from the rooftop, visiting parks and flower plantings across the city.
Mendenhall framed the beehives as part of the library's civic purpose, describing bees as "pollinators for our city" and using their cooperative work as a metaphor for community building. He also spoke about bees' vision and senses, saying they can memorize faces and perceive ultraviolet patterns on flowers.
The event included an announcement of a forthcoming construction phase: the city will build a crescent wall to allow direct roof access from Library Square and renovate the adjacent shops to increase activation of the square in the coming year. The library representative said the mayor and city council provided funding and support for the project but did not specify dollar amounts.
The ceremony closed with a brief countdown led by the mayor and an invitation to the public to enjoy the rooftop and the returning beehives. No formal votes, motions or regulatory actions were taken at the event.
