The Fort Myers Beach Library has been closed since Hurricane Ian hammered Fort Myers Beach on September 28, 2022. The library sustained extensive damage from the storm. The biggest battle has been repairs to the elevator which were recently completed allowing the facility to finally reopen.
A Grand Re-opening will be held on Sunday, March 16th from 10 am to 2 pm. The event will include 3 food trucks in the library parking lot, nonprofit organizations set up in the library garage and of course tours of the facility.
Beach Talk Radio will be there broadcasting live after our Sunday show with the Mayor.
The town also recently announced that the big picture Beach Talk Radio donated to the town on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Ian, which lists the names of residents who died in the storm, will be moved to the library. It is currently in the Town Council chambers at their temporary trailer location at Bay Oaks.
Mitch Pacyna, who died during Hurricane Ian, was a regular volunteer at the library welcoming people to the facility. The picture will be hung near where Mitch volunteered.
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What are the usage stats for this library? Just about anything can be found on line and the AI bots can answer questions, well, better than any person/librarian. The biggest attraction here is after school programs and air conditioning for us seniors. The pool and the recreation center are the real priorities exercise instead of sedentary leaning/activities!!! This library was misguided from the beginning. Who would prioritize a library for the 75 kids at the school and a handful of people that do not have access to a computer or air conditioning! Yep, there goes our tax dollars…I assume there has been salary payment of the staff that were waiting for the elevators?
Lady, some people still read books, you know
The library should be converted to city administrative offices. This would be much better use of the building. Very few residents ever used the library before Hurricane Ian. Not sure that this large library is worth the tax revenues that it requires to operate.
Some of us still read books sir
Having been in the elevator business for the last 40 years, it makes no sense whatsoever for the elevator to be shut down for well over 2 years.
Elevator repair is certainly Ian has been difficult. Talk to condo owners who are still waiting for parts.
If the elevator is working, why do we have to wait another month? Open it up.
So pleased! Lee County Library on Bass and Gladiolus is great but nothing compares to this wonderfully decorated, beautiful library here on our island!
RIP Dr. Leroy Hommerding! Thank you for your vision for our beautiful library! You will always be remembered!
Dr. Leroy Hommerding was a real class act! I participated in the monthly book club discussions with him and it was always a pleasure hearing what he had to say!
One has to wonder how it’s possible that a “government” building built in the early 90’s according to hurricane codes could suffer enough damage to be closed for 2 1/2 years, especially considering it’s the “elevator” that kept it closed!! I’ve got a 3 story elevator in my home, it was up and running in January 2023 three months after IAN, the equipment is located at the top of the elevator on 3rd Floor, how is it possible it took two years to get an elevator fixed?something very wrong here!! But glad it’s back 🙂
Dan: The library is not a government building.
Our condo elevators were extremely challenged/damaged. The fifth and final one came up finally this month!
Dan, if you’ve been to our library you may know that there is a huge elevator, about the size of some rooms in a condo, on the ground floor. There were significant issues obtaining parts and then some installation issues. This is the only way to get to the 3rd floor and ADA regulation dictates that everyone must be able to navigate the entire building. Without ADA approval, library could not open. If you haven’t been to our library, I suggest you visit the re-opening on 3/16 and take a ride in that huge elevator.
lol. So 2.5 years to fix an elevator, because it’s a big elevator?
Realize it took just 6 months more to build the entire Sears Tower complete with 104 elevators including 16 double decker elevators. Must be some elevator you got there…..
They probably didn’t have problems getting parts for elevators back in 1970.
Obviously, you’re not familiar with the obstacles condo owners and buildings with elevators have encountered after IAN.
It will be a GRAND reopening! Can’t wait. Lots of great surprises. Mark your calendars now. Stay tuned for future announcements.
It will be wonderful having our beach library open again, another step in our island recovery ❤️🩹.
The painting is a beautiful tribute to those islanders that we have lost.