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Tyrone finds land for new library behind park

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizen.com

Shamrock Park may still prove to be lucky for Tyrone’s quest for a new library site.

Town Councilman Mike Smola confirmed this week that a site adjacent to the park is still under consideration for building the town’s new library. But the site would not be governed by deed restrictions imposed by Fayette County that require it to be used as a park, he explained.

“We own a little over 11 acres on the backside of the park that may prove to be great site for the library,” he said.

Instead of fronting on Senoia Road, the library would be at the back of the property and overlook a lake. Access to the site would be from Commerce Drive, near the Roger Spencer Community Center.

“It’s really a beautiful piece of property and we already own it, so we won’t have to spend any money for the property,” he added.

The town will still have to formally approve the site, but Smola said that’s likely to occur after the town picks an architect for the library who would examine the site. If the site is acceptable, Smola believes the library could be a real show-piece for the town.

“We’re thinking of having the exterior of the library done in brick, but the part facing the lake would be reflective and patrons would be able to view the lake from the inside of the facility,” he said.

For the past few months, the town’s leaders and residents have been debating where the library should be built.

The town’s leaders wanted to build a new administrative complex at Shamrock Park, but needed the county’s permission to use the park for other uses.

In a recently completed survey, 93 percent of the residents said the library should be downtown.

The biggest vote in the survey, with 251 votes, was Shamrock Park, but the second most popular choice was the current site of the library and town hall with 124 votes.

The town-owned site adjacent to Shamrock Park was not included in the survey, Smola said.

The two lowest responses on the survey included sites at Handley Park and a location near the Southhampton subdivision that was donated by developer John Wieland.

Earlier this year, Tyrone learned it would receive funding for a library that would be three times the size of the current facility, thanks to $1.27 million in the state budget passed by the Georgia legislature.

The new 8,000 square-foot building will cost a total of roughly $1.7 million.