INNISFAIL – The town is now overflowing with libraries.
They are the little free library kind, and just last week a new one was unveiled.
On June 28 about 30 citizens showed up at Hazelwood Park for the unveiling of the new three-foot tall Hazelwood Park Little Free Library.
The new little free library project, a collaboration between Men’s Shed, Innisfail, Innisfail Art Club and Little Free Library Innisfail, is now the sixth in town.
The Hazelwood Park Little Free Library now joins the ones already built and installed in Aspen Heights, the Dodd’s Lake neighbourhood, 44 Street, The Coffee Cottage and the Innisfail United Church.
The Hazelwood Park project was spearheaded by Brad Watson, a member of Men’s Shed, Innisfail and founder of the 100-member Little Free Library Innisfail group, which has a Facebook page.
Watson officially unveiled the Hazelwood Park Little Free Library with Terry Leicht, a coordinator with Men’s Shed, Innisfail.
“I chose this park mainly because when we looked around we knew there's going to be a bunch of kids in the area. But it's an adult community as well,” said Watson. “So, we got a good mix of older to younger. Plus, I put the word out looking for someone to take care of it and Sheila (Mielke), who is a good friend, stepped forward.”
Mielke, a neighbourhood resident, is now the steward of the Hazelwood Park Little Free Library. She is tasked to ensure the library is tidy, citizens are looking after it and the library is not damaged.
“I think this is awesome. Books should be shared, and the more people that can read a book the better,” said Mielke, adding she volunteered “automatically” to take care of the neighbourhood’s new little free library. “I will be by here at least twice a day, because I walk my dog.”
However, the unveiling of the new little free library at Hazelwood Park was also an opportunity to collect donations to support the creation of new ones across town.
“With Men’s Shed we got guys willing to do the work and build, but we need to fund the projects. They don't have the money for the materials,” said Watson. “And so working with them, we want to start raising money for the next project, so the one that we're presently building would support the next one that's going to come up.
“Eventually, we hope to have several in town.”
On a post on the Little Free Library Innisfail Facebook page, Watson said $310 was raised at Hazelwood Park on June 28 for the next project, which will be in the shape of a classic country grain elevator, about five feet tall and is expected to be completed in July. The site is still to be determined.
Charles Silk, the lead coordinator for Men’s Shed, Innisfail, said it cost about $300 for the Hazelwood Park project, with four group members putting in 25 hours to complete it. He added Central Alberta Co-Op donated paint to the project.
Wilma Watson, the president of the Innisfail Art Club, said three club members approached the project with fun in mind for the painting of the project’s exterior.
“We helped paint on all the books on the outside and added a little creativity to it with some apples and cars and little mice. We just thought we'd make it fun for the kids,” said Wilma. “It was a bit of a surprise, because Men's Shed and the community didn't know that we were doing this for them.”
Meanwhile, Coun. Janice Wing was at the unveiling. She supports all the goals of the project, adding the “expansion” of little free libraries throughout the community is a “very positive” development.
“We do have a great public library here, but having these books at the community level just helps to encourage people to read,” said Wing. “And with our little kids it helps grow the love of reading.”
