Changes Being Considered for Library

Haverford Township's Commissioners' Property Committee is looking into whether to recommend renovating the current facility of the Haverford Township Free Library or to include it in the proposed new Administration Building.

According to Fourth Ward Commissioner Dan Siegel, at a meeting October 7 the Library reported that it requires:

• Immediate repairs to maintain the safety of the facility.
• Approximately $1.5 million to replace its end-of-life mechanical and environmental (air conditioning and heating) systems.
• $5 million to convert the library into a state-of-the-art facility.

Click here to view the video of the meeting. (The Library discussion begins about 13 minutes into the meeting.)

The Board of Commissioners Property Committee has recommended construction of a new Township Police and Administration Building to replace the current "inadequate and antiquated facilities," Siegel said. It would be constructed behind the existing Police Station near the Skatium.

"There will be far more parking for the Library if it were to be included with the new facility, and the cost of maintenance, etc., would be reduced as those costs would be shared by the Township, the Police and the Library. However, we must be fiscally prudent and be certain that the cost of including the Library in the new facility is reasonable and comparable to the cost of renovating the current building," Siegel writes in an email to constituents.