On October 3, 2015, several hundred community members and dignitaries gathered in Municipal Parking Lot #10 on the corner of C Street and Mission Boulevard to celebrate the ground breaking for Hayward’s 21st Century Library and Heritage Plaza project.
The festivities included music courtesy of Mariachi Juvenil de Hayward; the historic 1923 Seagrave Fire Engine courtesy of Hayward Firefighters Local 1909; a seed-planting activity organized by the Hayward Seed Lending Library; a bounce house courtesy of Hayward Area Recreation and Park District; refreshments generously donated by Eko Coffee and Tea House; and special surprise appearances by two “monumental figures from Hayward’s past” – the iconic Big Mike and Doggie Diner statues.
After the formal speeches, dignitaries including the Mayor and Council officially broke ground on the project with a “golden shovel” ceremony in which the soil was used to help plant a tree in the Heritage Plaza. Community members also participated in the ceremony by using the soil to plant seedlings from the Hayward Seed Lending Library to grow in their homes and gardens.
The event was organized by staff from Library and Community Services, Maintenance Services, and Environmental Services; and was sponsored by the Friends of Hayward Library with major support from Eko Coffee and Tea House.
Preparations for the new library construction have begun including preliminary utility work along C Street. Construction on the site itself is expected to begin in early November. Construction will last approximately 24 months. Complete construction updates including a construction site webcam will be available on the project website, www.haywardlibrary.org
