It’s not happening right away, but by sometime in 2025, Wesley Chapel will be home to two Pasco County public libraries.
The recently remodeled and completely revamped New River Library reopened on S.R. 54 — to rave reviews — last year.
But, wait until you get a look at the new 14,000-sq.-ft. Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library, which is now under permitting review and should begin building next to Seven Oaks Elementary by early 2024.
According to Pasco County public information officer Sarah Andeara, the county is in the process of evaluating and selecting a contractor for the award of the $10-million contract later this year.
“The groundbreaking of the Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library is expected in early 2024 and the project will take approximately 16 months to complete,” Andeara says. “The architecture firm of Fleischman Garcia Maslowski has provided the building’s design and the $10 million budgeted by the county is expected to cover the design, construction, furniture, equipment and collection materials.”
In addition to books, audiobooks, and DVDs, the new library will feature public computers, printers, a separate children’s area, collaborative spaces, a gallery wall in the lobby, an outdoor reading porch, a multi-purpose room for “makerspace” and other activities, a meeting room, and study rooms. Drive-up services also will be available at this location.
Architects.
The Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks library’s unique multipurpose makerspace room, with a designated outdoor mobile makerspace area, will provide all kinds of activities from Pasco’s other library makerspaces to the Wesley Chapel community. Some examples of these activities include woodworking, music and multimedia recording, ceramics and pottery, cooking, gardening, and more.
After receiving input from the local community, it was decided that the best use of the new library’s makerspace space would be to go with a multipurpose room option.
The intent for the multipurpose room is for it to serve as a “launch pad” for a mobile makerspace — which is expected to be a mobile van outfitted with a wide variety of different classic makerspace activities, such as woodworking activities, gardening, cooking, musical instruments, and recording options, as well as STEM activities.
For more information about the Wesley Chapel Seven Oaks Library, visit PascoLibraries.org.
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