Clifton Park - Halfmoon Public Library Press Release.

June 9, 2005

Library Officials Break Ground for New Library Construction

The Library Board of Trustees of the Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library, along with representatives of local and state governments, conducted a groundbreaking ceremony marking the beginning of construction of a 55,000 sq. ft. new Library approved by District voters last September. The 11 acre site is located off Moe Road adjacent to Arongen School. Construction is expected to take a year with a grand opening planned for sometime in the third quarter of 2006.

In remarks made at the ceremony, Christene Thurston, President of the Library Board of Trustees paid tribute to the group of citizens from Clifton Park and Halfmoon who pioneered the Library in the mid-1960s and all the Trustees, Staff and volunteers who contributed to the success of the Library over the almost 40 years of Library operation.

President Thurston commented how the Library’s purchase of the land fulfilled a wish made by Elizabeth Tourtellot that her family’s land “be sold to a church, school or library.” The land had been in the Tourtellot family for over three generations. “We will build a Library that will make the Tourtellot family and this community proud,” she said.

The new two-story Library features a larger space for growing the collection, more seats for general reading, expanded and more flexible study areas, a larger computer lab and reference area, and a separate, larger children’s library with its own reference desk.

Also announced at the ceremony, the Library Board has been notified by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) that it has been awarded a grant to pursue a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating. This is in recognition of the extensive energy saving features included in the design, materials and operating systems for the new Library. The energy-efficient design is expected to result in significant operating savings over the life of the building.

The design of the new Library was coordinated by William Connor. Mr. Connor and several of the architects from Woodward, Connor, Gillies and Seleman working on the project are residents of the Library District. Residents can follow construction progress by visiting the Library or its website at www.cphlibrary.org.

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