The city of El Mirage in the West Valley has broken ground on a new, larger library space for its residents.
The city is repurposing an old firehouse so it can serve as its new state-of-the-art library. This project comes as the city of more than 35,000 residents is growing, and the West Valley is projected to continue growing, said El Mirage Mayor Alexis Hermosillo.
"Hopefully this expansion will not only meet the needs that we currently have but the needs of the future," she said.
The space is two and half times the size of its current library.
"That will allow for us to have more room for programming, to invite outsid
e organizations to provide more services to our community members, more space for more books," Hermosillo said. "That’s just a perfect opportunity to get more information and more knowledge to not only kids, but residents of all ages.”
The project is expected to cost about $2.4 million. Maricopa County is collaborating with the city of El Mirage on the project, and its Board of Supervisors has approved about $400,000 to fund a programming room at the new library that will house education classes, workforce development programs and small business support.
The new library is expected to completed next year.
