Eagle Pass Public Library Expansion & Renovation Project Groundbreaking Celebrated
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2015, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The Eagle Pass City Council held the official ground breaking ceremony of the City of Eagle Pass Public Library Expansion and Renovation Project on Monday, April 20, 2015, at 11 A.M. at the steps of the historic building.
The long-awaited and desperately needed expansion and renovation of the Eagle Pass Public Library came to fruition as Mayor Ramsey English Cantu and City officials broke ground on the $3.1 Million project to the delight of Eagle Pass Public Library patrons.
Eagle Pass Recreation Supervisor Juan R. Cuellar served as Master of Ceremonies at the groundbreaking ceremony. Cuellar welcomed all the guests, friends, and public officials to the City’s Public Library Expansion and Groundbreaking Ceremony.
Cuellar recognized the public officials in attendance and thanked everyone who has participated in making the Public Library expansion and renovation project a reality .
City Manager Gloria Barrientos addressed the attendees and stated that the day was a very important day for the entire city administration, community, library users, and public officials. Barrientos noted that the expansion and groundbreaking ceremony is a historic and significant event in the history of Eagle Pass.
Cuellar presented a brief history of the beautiful Eagle Pass Public Library building and introduced keynote speaker Mayor Ramsey English Cantu.
“As we initiate a very important project, this project starts almost perfectly as it starts during the month of celebration of National Library month. Behind every great community is a great library and with that, know that your community is taking the necessary steps to assure that we have a great library,” said Mayor Cantu.
“The building is 103 years old and we can say that it will now be utilized to its full potential once its fully completed, renovated and its expansion has been done,” said Mayor Cantu.
The Eagle Pass Public Library building was built in 1912 by the federal government as the City’s U.S. Post Office which it served as for 51 years until it was donated to the City of Eagle Pass in 1964 and converted into the Eagle Pass Public Library. The public library building has also served as our community’s library for 51 years.
“It is over 51 years that it has been home to many children, adults in the region who have come to expand upon their knowledge and love for reading, and we want to provide a much better facility for our future generations ti enjoy,” added Mayor Cantu.
The estimated costs of the proposed expansion and renovation project of the City public library is pegged at $3.1 Million and the construction may take up to a year, announced Mayor Cantu. When completed, the renovated and expanded City Public Library will be a jewel within the City of Eagle Pass and downtown Eagle Pass for tens of thousands of citizens to enjoy, learn, and grow with.
Mayor Cantu noted that during construction of the public library some of its functions will be temporarily transferred to the Benavides Community Center beginning on May 11, 2015. The Children’s Public Library at Fort Duncan Park will remain open during regular hours.
Mayor Cantu recognized the members of the Eagle Pass Public Library Foundation and thanked the International Bank of Commerce (IBC) for assisting in the fundraising of funds to pay for part of the renovations and expansion.
“This morning, we broke ground on the Historic Eagle Pass Public Library expansion and renovation project. This project will give our current library, much needed restoration and renovation repairs along with the new expansion of the elevator tower on the west side of the building. We are underway to having a great new library in 9-12 months. These are exciting times for our community,” said Mayor Cantu.
Attending the public library ground breaking ceremony were City Council members Luis E. Sifuentes and Rudy Villalpando, City Manager Gloria Barrientos, Eagle Pass Main Street Director Joe Cruz, Senator Carlos Uresti’s Area Representative Hellen Martinez, Maverick County Tax Assessor Collector Isamari Sanchez Villarreal, Sul Ross State University-Rio Grande College’s Dr. Claudia Rodriguez Wright, members of the Eagle Pass Public Library Foundation members, and local business and civic leaders.
