By Mark Bialczak
LPL Communications Specialist
There’s a new feature designed to bring sunshine into the lives of the little one who love the Liverpool Public Library’s Dinosaur Garden lawn even as it provides plenty of shade.
The pavilion stands next to the Wildlife Habitat Garden, thanks to the hard work of a four-person crew that brought it here in pieces from Himrod, New York, on the Woodtex company truck.
Josh, Lester, David and Loren put it together in one work day, starting a little after 9 a.m. on Monday, March 27 and finishing a bit after 4 p.m. I posted photographs chronicling their progress on our social media platforms of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Impressive, they were.
And now will come its steady influence out there on the side of Second Street in the village of Liverpool.
The first official program on the LPL schedule to be held inside the pavilion is Children Librarian Laurel Sharp’s Meet the Gazebo: Summer Math Games, scheduled from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 10. A music event, Concert in the Garden featuring singer songwriter David E. Robertson Jr., is scheduled for 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22. Of course, the pavilion and the cover it provides from the elements is permanent, a place to duck from the sun while enjoying the StoryWalk illustrations and words that will return to the lawn when the weather warms, or peeks at the flowers and birds in the Wildlife Habitat Garden.
The pavilion’s construction was paid for with money from the Alfred W. Richberg Fund. Richberg, a native of Liverpool and a veteran of World War II, died at the age of 95 in 2010. He left a considerable amount for the library to use to enhance student services. The fund is administered by the Central New York Community Foundation. Previously, money from the Richberg Fund was used to create and equip the Collaborative Learning Center on the LPL’s main floor.
There may be more improvements to the side lawn this summer, thanks to the Richberg Fund. The purchase of large, functional musical instruments is being considered, to help make the Wildlife Habitat Garden an even more enticing learning space.
For art lovers, a dragonfly-shaped bench also will be placed on the lawn this spring. It’s being created by Cazenovia artisan Jude Ferencz. The piece was commissioned by Floris Palmer, in memory of her husband, Bob Palmer.
Contributions can be made to the library via 501(c)3 Liverpool Public Library Fund at the CNY Community Foundation. All donations are tax deductible. Visit cnycf.org/LPL for information.
Library leaders are open to suggestions for future uses for the Richberg Fund. You can send ideas to [email protected].
