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Although Yoncalla residents had to wait about eight years for a new library, a series of donations prevented them from waiting nearly as long for a new media center.
by Erin Snelgrove
YONCALLA -- Although Yoncalla residents had to wait about eight years for a new library, a series of donations prevented them from waiting nearly as long for a new media center.
The 635-square-foot Heritage Educational & Media Room was added onto the library, located at the intersection of Birch Street and Main Avenue. Construction of the room began last October, after the needed $47,000 was obtained from Regional Investment, the Oregon Community Foundation and Eagle View Management.
Another $20,000 had been previously donated by the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians to purchase furniture and equipment. When complete, the room will contain tables, chairs and numerous displays of local art. The space will be the site for adult and kids programs, and possibly Head Start classes. It is tentatively scheduled to open in a week.
"This room will be used a lot, I'm sure," said Doris Bartlett, who serves on the Yoncalla Library board. "I feel wonderful. We're just really happy with it."
The room was in the original plans for the Yoncalla Library, which opened a year ago. Construction of the 3,800-square-foot structure was made possible due to the successful fund raising of $500,000 -- revenue that was acquired during a seven-year span. The library contains children's areas and computers with Internet access.
There was not enough money until recently, though, to build a media center. But now that it's here, City Administrator Kathy Finley said the library is now as it was always meant to be.
"We wanted to do this," she said. "So we figured, what the heck, we'll go for it. And we got it. ... It's very exciting. It's great."
Media center
Don Brohman, owner of Don Brohman Construction in Sutherlin, lays hardwood floor in the Heritage Educational & Media Room at the Yoncalla Library Thursday. The 635-square-foot room was added on to the new library, which opened a year ago.
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