The Official Groundbreaking Ceremony

It couldn't have been a more perfect day for the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the new Mancos Public Library. Bagpipers led the 100+ attendees across the footbridge over the Mancos River to the new building site.

Seated across what will be the east side of the library, attendees listened to inspiring, and at times funny speeches from the local celebrities as the sun shone and a cool breeze created a lovely spring day.

Master of Ceremonies Mr. Darrell Ellis introduced the speakers: Library Director, Mrs. Patsy Smith; Library Board President, Mr. Robin Strother; Mayor Pro Tem Ms. Cindy Simpson; High School Representative Ms. CeCe Claridge, Library Architect Mr. Dennis Humphries; and Construction Manager Mr. Robert Lea.

Meanwhile, the younger children and their parents played 'in the dirt', digging and driving Tonka Trucks in the large dirt pile created for the "Tonka Truck Jamboree". Well-wishers also participated in the "Foundation Stone Project"; stones gathered from the building site were available for handwritten messages of hopes and dreams for the new library. The stones will be mixed into the foundation for the new library.

The first shovels of dirt were thrown to cheers and whistles! We all know that the next ten months will fly by (and at times seem so long), and this day is the first step in the journey to the new Mancos Public Library.

Closing the ceremony were the bagpipers; the entire group then walked back across the footbridge to the Mancos Community Center, where delicious appetizers were enjoyed, and lively discussions about the construction took place.

The Mancos Public Library would like to thank everyone that has worked so hard and diligently to help us realize our dream of a new library.

Please view all the Groundbreaking Day photos in our Flickr Web Album.