May 27, 2004

A new chapter: Officials celebrate groundbreaking of new library, community center

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

The Almaden community turned out Saturday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new combined Almaden Community Center and Branch Library. The Simonds Elementary School choir and band opened the ceremony with a rousing rendition of “Yankee Doodle,” followed by a Color Guard presentation and Pledge of Allegiance led by Junior Girl Scout Troop 250 and Brownie Troop 902, and featured addresses by Mayor Ron Gonzales, Vice Mayor Pat Dando, and library officials.

“It’s very exciting to be here today,” expressed Mayor Ron Gonzales. “A groundbreaking is a symbolic gesture that says we’re getting started on whatever we promised to deliver, which in this case is a brand new library and community center—the first of its kind in San Jose.”

Taxpayers voted in 2000 to pass bond measures ‘O,’ a library bond measure that provides $212 million to the construction of six new and 14 expanded branch libraries, and ‘P,’ the Park and Recreation Bond Measure that provides $228 million for new construction and renovation of neighborhood, regional and sports parks, community centers, and trails.

“If you invest in the city, we will in turn invest in your neighborhoods. That’s what this community center and library are all about; it’s returning the investment that you approved, and making sure that our facilities are up to speed on the needs of your neighborhood,” Gonzales added.

“We have the whole community here to celebrate something that they’ve been waiting for awhile,” commented library branch manager Suzanne Rostamizadeh. “Since we moved over to the Vineland Branch, they’ve been waiting for us to start work on the new Almaden Library and Community Center. It’s a joyous occasion in many ways, and yet it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to a wonderful place that I have enjoyed working in for so many years. But, at the same time, I know the community is going to be so pleased when they see what this library and community center turns out to be—it’s going to be a spectacular thing.”

The 64,000-square-foot facility will include a 40,000-square-foot community center and a 19,000 square-foot library, with an additional 5,000 square feet of shared space. The original site housed a 5,000-square-foot community center and a 10,715-square-foot library. While the exterior of the facility will reflect a California modern style of architecture, creative design elements will create an intimate feel within. The building, which winds through the park’s trees, is being built with an eye toward environmental sensitivity, and will utilize natural light, energy-efficient heating and ventilation, wall coverings derived from recycled plastic bags, and bamboo flooring.

“These designs came about with the help of a great architect [Mark Schatz of Field Paoli Architects] and numerous community planning meetings,” noted Vice Mayor Dando. “The buildings we build are not for the city of San Jose, they are for neighborhoods, and they are for the community members who use them, and without your touch, they would not truly be yours. When we started out with this plan, it was going to be pretty much your basic, every day library and community center. It is not that today. In 18 months, you are going to see one of the finest models of a community center and library that we have in San Jose. It will be novel, because it will be the first two-story combined facility that we have.”

Dando explained that within the community center will be a Tiny Town preschool area, a fitness center, a gymnasium, a dance studio, a space for senior programs, and a cooking demonstration room for cooking classes. The library will have about 30 computers and a dedicated story-telling area for young children. “At the old library, preschool school children used to be relegated to a corner and were told not to make noise so as not to bother the adults. At this library, we don’t want the children to be quiet. We want them to enjoy it as if it was their family room, and we want them to have a space that they can call their own,” she explained.

There will also be study spaces, and a living room area complete with a fireplace, a technology center and a café, and an outdoor courtyard featuring our stately redwood trees. “These two buildings will service our community from the very youngest community member to the very senior community member. I am very proud of this building and of all of the help we have had from the community and Mayor Ron Gonzales.”

San Jose Public Library Marketing Communications Director Lorraine Oback believes that the new $17.5 million facility will offer a huge improvement over the previous facilities for the Almaden community. “The building they have planned is a real environment, and a destination to spend time and read aloud to your children in. You’ll feel like coming in and spending some time in the library.”

“I would like to thank Vice Mayor Dando for her persistence on this project,” commented Mayor Gonzales. “We promised the voters that these projects would be built over a 10-year period. It’s been a mad scramble by every council member to take their project and make sure it was done in the first couple of years of that 10-year plan. There’s a lot of arm wrestling that goes on, and one of the strongest arm wrestlers is Pat Dando for your district. I know that this project has been very, very important to her.”

Library Commissioner Tim Karas thanked the community for their support including voting for the Library Benefit Assessment District in 1994, which paid for 70 percent of all the library materials, including books, computers, DVDs, videos, audio books and 40 staff members over the past 10 years. In November, they will request a renewal of the funding. “You’ve made San Jose one of the premiere library systems in the country,” noted Karas. The purpose of the library commission is to represent you, so anytime you have any concerns about the libraries you can write the commission or attend our meetings.”

Marie Bernardy, executive director of the Library Foundation, helps to raise money for furnishings, fixtures, equipment, technologies, and opening day collections for the San Jose branch libraries. “These wonderful buildings are just shells until we can fill them…and make them so much more than just a library,” she noted.

“We’re going to have technology, homework, and family learning centers, and an Internet café. We’re raising money to support that environment and are looking to raise $10 million. It’s an exciting time and we invite you to get involved with naming opportunity donations as community groups.”

“The bond issue pays for the building, but not the things that go into the building,” added Assistant Library Director and master of ceremonies Ned Himmel. “We have to keep in mind that we’re doing our best to make sure that we not only have a beautiful building, but beautiful furniture and materials for everybody to enjoy for years to come.”

The Simonds Elementary School choir and band closed the ceremony with a heartfelt rendition of “God Bless America,” complete with Uncle Sam hats and hand salutes.

“With groundbreakings and everything else, we try to involve as many people in the community as much as possible,” noted Rostamizadeh. “Our seniors group volunteered to provide the cookies and the drinks, and the Girl Scouts have been a part of our community, and so it was a tie-in to have them do our flag ceremony, and with Simonds Elementary School being our neighbor, it was a perfect match having them come. They did a great job!”

Kimberlie Joyner’s daughter, Kelly, led the Girl Scout Color Guard. Her troop also opened the Vineland Library and Westfield Shoppingtown. “By having a civic role in it, it makes them feel a part of the community,” said Joyner. “It’s nice for young girls.”

Vice Mayor Pat Dando was also proud of the Brownies, Junior Girl Scouts, and Simonds School choir and band. “We are indeed fortunate to have so many great schools and community organizations in our neighborhood and city,” she enthused. “Suzanne has served our library for over 30 years, and the success of the library is in great part due to her. It takes a community committed to making their neighborhoods better places to be, not just for themselves and their children, but for future generations that are going to march through this place that we call the Almaden Library and Community Center.”

Following the ceremony, Vice Mayor Dando invited the public to inscribe their dreams or single-word inspirations like “hope,” “peace,” and “health,” or “dream rocks.” “The reason we call them ‘dream rocks’ is because good places like this begin with dreams,” she enthused. “And these rocks are going to go into the foundation of these buildings—and we know that with your help, and the foundation, and your sentiments and your dreams, this community is going to be healthy and happy for many years to come.”

The Almaden Community Center and Branch Library is slated to open in January or February 2006.