FREMONT, Ohio — A multi-million dollar expansion project in Fremont has finally been pushed over the last financial hurdle thanks to help from Terra State Community College.
Since 2018, the Birchard Public Library of Sandusky County has been working toward constructing an 8,500 square foot wing onto its historic library.
The $6 million construction project will be built out onto High Street, recently vacated by the city of Fremont and onto the former grounds of the Fremont Middle School, which was sold to the library for only $1.
The new space will allow the library to include many features that community members said they wanted to see in a 2016 survey.
"We have tried to incorporate every single one of those things in this new project. Including a new children's room, a teen room which we did not have in the past, a dedicated local history room and, of course, all of the new technology," said Birchard Library director Pam Hoesman.
Terra State Community College was able to secure $600,000 in state funding to help pay for programming and technology.
In the future, some Terra State continuing education courses will be held in the new addition.
The partnership will also help the library host Terra State internships from multiple programs.
"I'd like to think here in Sandusky County that this is how other communities would want to work. It's a very good feeling when all of these organizations can come together and help their residents for a good cause," said Corey Stine, executive director of the Terra College Foundation.
Construction is scheduled to begin next March, with the new library wing being completed and open to the public some time in mid-summer of 2022.