Update of Gleichen Water Tower and Library
Amy Gregson -Times Reporter
The Gleichen Library will be moving to a bigger and better location in the Gleichen School.
The new space will be approximately two times bigger than their current location.
“We’ve grown out of this space and we do want to expand,” said Faydra Beard, library manager.
The Gleichen School will not only provide a larger space, but also cut costs for the library.
Beard said the location will have its own separate entrance from the school.
The library is looking to expand by adding more books. Beard said right now they haven’t been able to put out all the books they have because they don’t have enough space.
“I have high hopes that we can at least open it up another day a week,” said Beard. “If we had more books and resources that would probably make it possible.”
The school will also provide the library with the super-net. With the super-net, the library will be able to offer the Rural Information Service Initiative (RISE), which can provide courses, author reading and seminars through tele-conferencing.“
Instead of people driving to Calgary or Edmonton they could come and participate in it at their own public library,” said Beard. “It’s a huge resource. It is funded by the government and it’s for all the rural libraries in Alberta.”
The library cannot provide this until they have the super net to run this equipment.
The Library already has support to move into the school from their board, Marigold Library and Wheatland County.
She said Golden Hills School Division has shown they will support the move, but has not made it official yet.
“I know it will be a huge positive thing because of the space and what I can provide my patrons,” said Beard. “It provides us with a huge opportunity to give more to our community.”
Water Tower
The Gleichen Water Tower is on its way to being preserved and restored as initial funding has been secured.
The structure is very old and a committee has stepped up to make sure it is restored properly and doesn’t come tumbling down.
"We are hoping to have all the funding secure and work done by 2011 so we can celebrate the 100th anniversary of the structure,” said Jennifer Brooks of Community Futures Wildrose, who is working with Wheatland County and the Gleichen Water Tower committee to try to secure funding.
The water tower has been designated as a provincial historic resource and is one of the few of its type of infrastructures left in the province.
Initial funding of $80,000 has been secured through the Alberta Historic Resource Foundation and they are looking at other options to secure more.
“With any luck, we’ll get there, slowly but surely,” said Brooks.
The committee estimates more than $700,000 will be needed to complete the project.
A lot of this depends on whether scaffolding will be needed to repair the shingling on the roof. The scaffolding is estimated at $250,000.
“Because it’s a very tall structure and it’s a very unique type of restoration it has to fall within health and safety standards as well as national historic preservation guidelines,” said Brooks. “We just have to make sure what the workers are using to get up there is basically safe.”
It is still being determined whether a crane could be used to complete the roof.
The initial analysis of the structure along with foundation and structural repair is set to begin in the spring.
The second phase will be the re-shingling, sandblasting and painting, and this will all happen later.
“[It’s] to make sure it’s retained for future generations to come and look at it and learn the importance of it,” said Brooks.
amy@strathmoretimes.com