BROOKINGS The city of Brookings will host an open house on May 31 to share designs for possible future renovation of the Brookings Public Library and the Brookings Activity Center.
The open house will take place from 9 to 11 a.m. at the activity center. People can come and go as their schedules allow. The event serves as a follow-up to public engagement sessions from February to collect ideas for enhancing the two popular gathering spots.
The city has contracted with OPN Architects of Iowa to study and recommend options for space needs and facility improvements, along with associated cost estimates, for the library and the activity center.
We are very excited about the designs that OPN has presented to us and are excited to share them with the public as we explore feasibility for a remodel, Ashia Gustafson, director of library services, said. The library offers a welcoming space for the Brookings community, and this potential remodel will allow us to better serve Brookings County.
The activity center offers membership to people age 55 and older. Both programming and member numbers have grown considerably since the city hired its first full-time senior services supervisor last May.
The Brookings Activity Center provides a gathering place for many of the people 55 and older within our community. I am thrilled to welcome everyone to this open house as we reimagine the center and what the future holds for both the Brookings Activity Center and the Brookings library, said Kristin Zimmerman, director of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry. The department oversees the Activity Center.
The current library building has been in service since 1976. The facility was expanded from 16,000 square feet to 33,000 square feet in 1999. Since then, slight modifications have been made, but space limitations and dated amenities restrict the services the library is able to provide, Gustafson said. In 2023, the librarys walk-in count was 124,245 and nearly 23,000 attendees took advantage of the 963 programs offered for all ages.
The Brookings Activity Center is adjacent to the north of the Library. The Activity Center building started its life in 1990 as the Elks Lodge. The Elks sold the building to the City in 2004 and now rent a portion of the building.
For questions about the Brookings Public Library and Activity Center study, contact Gustafson at 605-697-9407 or [email protected].
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