LOWER MERION — Visitors to Penn Wynne Library could one day have a reading garden.
Lower Merion’s library committee recently recommended that the commissioners approve a resolution to apply for grant money to construct the reading garden at the library.
More specifically, the township would submit a grant application for $141,370 to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Community Conservation Partnership Program Grant to partially fund the creation of the reading garden at the library.
“This request is before you because we received a request from the Penn Wynne Library to apply to this program, and this grant program only allows municipalities to apply, so Penn Wynne Library Association could not apply by themselves, and that they would need the township if the board were inclined to apply on their behalf,” Brandon Ford, township assistant manager told the commissioners in his presentation.
According to township officials, the Penn Wynne Library Association came up with the idea of creating a reading garden in 2022.
“Their goal was to provide a beautiful and safe outdoor space where generations could interact, socialize, and learn. Through the creation of an outdoor space surrounding the Library, the reading garden would enhance the library experience for all patrons by providing an outdoor space for reading, relaxing, reflecting, learning, socializing, and communing with nature. The reading garden would also allow the Library to expand its programming space without increasing its interior physical space as well as offer additional opportunities for more varied physical activity programs, such as yoga,” according to a staff memo detailing the proposal.
The Penn Wynne Library Association then worked with SALT Design Studio to develop a concept plan for the reading garden. The plan they created was used to get a $50,000 grant from the township’s American Rescue Plan Non-Profit Vitality Grant Program.
The money will be used to finalize the design for the reading garden, develop bid/construction documents, and purchase some of the furnishings for the garden.
The estimated cost of the reading garden is $282,810. The library association has secured approximately 50 percent of the total cost through a $100,000 grant from Pennsylvania State Senator Amanda Cappelletti’s Office, $15,730 in private donations, and a commitment of up to $25,710 from PWLA themselves for the project.
The committee voted unanimously to recommend that the commissioners approve the request. The proposal is expected to be part of the commissioners’ consent agenda at an upcoming meeting.
