By Amara N. Beaty, V&V Staff Writer
The Oak Park Library is a public library in the City of San Diego that has served the people of the Oak Park, Webster, and Chollas Creek communities for over 50 years. On the morning of July 28, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, along with many other elected officials representing San Diego, announced funding provisions for a new library in Oak Park.
Mayor Todd Gloria began the morning’s events acknowledging that the gathering took place on Kumeyaay land and an “all-star cast of San Diegans,” including, but not limited to, Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, Assemblywoman Dr. Akilah Weber, Council member Sean Elo-Rivera, and Council President pro Tempore Monica Montgomery Steppe. There were about 15 council members, assembly members, and other elected officials present.
Mayor Gloria made it very clear that he understands that not everyone knows how their tax dollars are being spent and, most importantly, how they’re going back into the communities that are supposed to serve them. He and other elected officials disclosed that the State would be providing San Diego 68.5 million dollars to use towards community projects including libraries, parks, green jobs, and other state programs. The new Oak Park library, which is receiving 20 million dollars towards construction, is one of the 19 regional projects receiving State funding.
The petitioning and advocacy by community members and State and local representatives to build the new facility lasted for years. Some key forces behind the funding include Claudine Thompson, whose persistent efforts since 2016 has been a large part of the fruition of the new facility being built, Senate President pro Tem Toni Atkins, whose work earned her a dedicated community center in the new facility, and Assemblywoman Dr. Akilah Weber, who grew up in Oak Park utilizing the facility growing up.
Mark Davis, Branch Manager of the current Oak Park Public Library, shared his excitement for the new facility.
“Very exciting times. It’s certainly something this community has needed for a while. Unfortunately in 2020 they didn’t know how fast this community would grow! They were rather surprised that it grew as fast as it did.”
The new facility is now in the drawing stage. More information regarding the new Oak Park library has yet to be released. While we don’t know exactly where the new branch will be, we do know that the library will be built in an underdeveloped area of Chollas Lake Park.
