The new Pike County Public Library is out of the idea stage and into the ground. Municipal officials, board members, friends and maybe some enemies gathered at the site of the new library on East Harford Street and broke the ground for a new building on October 20.

The plot of land was financed by a $1 million grant by the Dorothy E. Warner Foundation. “We are very excited on this day,” said Rob Rohner, library board chairman. The planning for the new building began back in 2005.

Tom Huff, former member of the board and a nephew of Warner, said that his aunt would have been proud now that her wishes have finally come to pass.

The project has also received funding from the state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) and from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). The cost of the building, to be called the Dorothy E. Warner Building, is $2.5 million.

When completed, the new library would more than quadruple the space of the current library, standing at 6,000 square feet on the upper level and another 5,000 feet in the lower level, which will open some time in the future.

Rich Caridi, Pike County Commissioners chair, said that other library branches would be brought to locations throughout the county in the next couple of years.

The Friends of the Pike County Library recently donated $30,000 to help with operating costs. The board is planning to hold numerous fundraising events through the year even though they have obtained a very low bid and have about $110,000 on hand, which will possibly allow for the completion of the lower level sooner than expected.

The lowest bid for the general contractor went to Zitone Construction and Supply for $1.8 million while other bids were awarded for the mechanicals for the building such as plumbing and heating.

For more information and to donate to the building fund, visit www.pcpl.org or call 570/296-8211.