Sunday, June 22, 1997
Shopping area manager champions northside library
branch
By ANTHONY WILSON / Abilene Reporter-News
Bruce Reed hopes his library proposal gets higher off the ground
than his hot air balloon.
A slight southerly breeze blocked the launching of a 100,000-cubic-foot
hot air balloon Saturday morning at an open house for Reed's proposed
northside library branch. But that didn't diminish his enthusiasm.
While cheerleading a smattering of supporters, Reed said he
believes a grassroots effort could give his idea wings.
"It's not going to be me that gets it done," he said.
"It's going to be the interest people show in this. I'm going
to see how much it snowballs and let public opinion drive the
decision."
For weeks, Reed has been pushing his idea to convert an empty
32,000-square-foot grocery store in Merchant Park Shopping Center,
which he manages, into a northside library branch.
To date, he's garnered more than 3,600 signatures on a petition
endorsing the idea. But saying the City Council is unimpressed
with petition drives, he's now urging backers to contact council
members personally.
On Thursday, the council will receive the recommendation of
the Citizens Library Review Panel, which is advising a bond issue
to build a 75,000-square-foot, "state-of-the-art" central
library at North 6th and Cypress.
"I'm going to act independent of that," Reed said.
"If that's something the citizens want, more power to them.
I think this northside branch ought to be done regardless of what
happens to the central library."
The panel further recommended the council replace the storefront
branch that will open in October with a 20,00-square-foot southside
branch in a few years.
"The northside is not playing on an even playing field,"
Reed argued.
Others agree.
"It's good for the northside and for children to stay
out of mischief," Wanda Neal said. "It's close to schools
and good for elderly people. It's good for everyone."
But the idea has its skeptics.
They note Reed wants to lease the building, which has been
empty for six years. The panel was adamant the city own its libraries.
Reed counters he's offering an "unbelievable" price
on a 15-year agreement that will keep the city from spending a
"bazillion" dollars on a purchase.
The chief complaint is the proposed Vera Hall Minter branch
is only 10 blocks from the current library. If voters pass a bond,
the new library would be just six blocks from Reed's site.
Some echo Reed's claims that Merchant Park and downtown are
"two different worlds."
"It's serving different clientele," said Billy Enriquez,
a member of the defunct library task force. "Distance shouldn't
be the criteria.
"It's a viable proposal," he added. "It's something
that needs to be looked at seriously. It's much needed in this
area, and I think it would work. It would bring in a lot more
people who don't visit the library."
Reed is unsure when he'll formally offer his proposal to the
council.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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