NEW CASTLE, Del. – New Castle County Executive Thomas P. Gordon and New Castle County Council's Route 9 Library/Innovation Center Groundbreaking Ceremony drew a crowd of more than 400, including several dignitaries, on Tuesday, September 22, 2015.
Named for its high-tech backdrop incorporated into the design, County Executive Gordon promised the large crowd that this library would be something special for the Route 9 Corridor as a whole and be a bastion of learning for local schoolchildren and lifelong learners.
Governor Jack Markell was a keynote speaker and noted how busy libraries were throughout the state. He said he was proud to have several libraries built in his time in office along with Secretary of State Jeff Bullock, who oversees the state's libraries.
The event also featured the following speakers: Attorney General Matt Denn, State Senator Margaret Rose Henry, State Representative J.J. Johnson, County Council President Christopher Bullock (invocation), Councilman Penrose Hollins, Councilman George Smiley, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Samuel L. Guy, Esq., Dunleith resident Sandra Smithers, Swanwyck Estates resident Edwin Rosa, President of Friends of Garfield Park Lending Library Lee Jarmon, and Councilman Jea P. Street with the closing remarks.
Also among the dignitaries in attendance were Councilman Robert S. Weiner and Councilman John Cartier.
Film of the entire event will be uploaded soon to YouTube. (Please check back.)
ORIGINAL RELEASE:
New Castle County Executive Thomas P. Gordon and New Castle County Council invite residents to the Route 9 Library/Innovation Center Groundbreaking Ceremony at 10:00 a.m. on September 22, 2015.
“We are excited to move such an important initiative forward,” County Executive Gordon said. “This project will serve the community for decades to come. County Council Members, including President Chris Bullock and Councilman Jea Street, helped to place this project at the top of the agenda, and we thank them for their support.”
The state-of-the-art Route 9 Library that will feature a high-tech backdrop has received substantial State funding through the support of Governor Jack Markell, State Senator Margaret Rose Henry, State Representative JJ Johnson, and other State Legislators. Additionally, the State has supported key housing development initiatives in the Route 9 area. With the addition of the Route 9 Library and the targeted reinvestment, this area is poised to become a center for opportunity and redevelopment.
In the development of the Route 9 Library, New Castle County has forged new partnerships that have helped to place the building design at the forefront of national library standards. One of the rooms that has received significant interest is the Sensory Room. This room will feature solar projections and vibroacoustic technology that will allow the room to be modified by parents and therapists for story time with autistic children. The County owes a debt of gratitude to Teresa Avery and Heidi Mizell of Autism Delaware for the technical expertise that they graciously provided to make this vision possible.
County Executive Gordon firmly believes the Route 9 Library/Innovation Center and the rapidly forming Wilmington Stock Exchange are among the keys to revitalizing New Castle County, Delaware.
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