Founder and Managing Partner
The Oak Park community is fighting to bring back their neighborhood library after it closed more than 30 years ago. The Oak Park library closed in 1993 as part of a plan to consolidate three local libraries into one site: Colonial Heights Library on Stockton Boulevard. Longtime resident Dorothy Benjamin said the distance from Oak Park to this library became a barrier for children to access this resource. “It is unsafe for children to walk that distance to go to the library and cross Stockton Boulevard that is very busy,” Benjamin said. That’s why Benjamin has fought for nearly a decade to get a public library back in Oak Park. “We have children in this community, seniors and other members of the community that would benefit from having a library,” Benjamin said. Back in 2015, she began a petition that now has 900 signatures from community members. Benjamin is also working closely with Vice Mayor Caity Maple. Maple said she is actively working to find a location for the new library, but the biggest challenge is raising the $10-12 million in funding they need.”The city is in a $66 million deficit, and that is one of our key challenges,” Maple said.Maple and Benjamin said they will continue to work to make the Oak Park Library a reality. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
The Oak Park community is fighting to bring back their neighborhood library after it closed more than 30 years ago.
The Oak Park library closed in 1993 as part of a plan to consolidate three local libraries into one site: Colonial Heights Library on Stockton Boulevard.
Advertisement
Longtime resident Dorothy Benjamin said the distance from Oak Park to this library became a barrier for children to access this resource.
“It is unsafe for children to walk that distance to go to the library and cross Stockton Boulevard that is very busy,” Benjamin said.
That’s why Benjamin has fought for nearly a decade to get a public library back in Oak Park.
“We have children in this community, seniors and other members of the community that would benefit from having a library,” Benjamin said.
Back in 2015, she began a petition that now has 900 signatures from community members.
Benjamin is also working closely with Vice Mayor Caity Maple.
Maple said she is actively working to find a location for the new library, but the biggest challenge is raising the $10-12 million in funding they need.
“The city is in a $66 million deficit, and that is one of our key challenges,” Maple said.
Maple and Benjamin said they will continue to work to make the Oak Park Library a reality.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.