Unique Groundbreaking Marks Start of Renovation of Bank Building Into City Library

First it was the kids, then the adults who got into the swing of renovating the former 5th/3rd Bank building into the future home of the Helen Matthes Library.

The children were invited since Tuesday morning at 10:00 is their normal Storytime at the current facility along Market Avenue. The story dealt with a construction project and displayed a variety of construction equipment. The kids then got to do their own demolition work, knocking down a wall built of cardboard blocks.

After remarks from several individuals, a temporary wall was demolished by library board members, city officials, and members of the architecture and construction firms that are tasked with the renovation work.

(EFFINGHAM MAYOR MERV GILLENWATER WAS JOINED BY GRANDSON, OWEN, DURING HIS REMARKS. OWEN WAS PRESENT FOR CHILDREN'S STORYTIME)

Chuck Poettker of Poettker Construction of Breese, the contractor on the project, said work would begin as soon as possible with a goal of having the renovation completed in time for a move-in during the summer of 2015.

Ann Doedtman, a member of the fundraising committee to help pay for the conversion to a new library home, said their work also continues. Doedtman said they have nearly $600,000 to go toward a $2 million fundraising goal.

(THE LIBRARY'S CHILDREN'S STORYTIME HELD EACH TUESDAY MORNING TOOK PLACE AT THE FUTURE LIBRARY HOME INCLUDING A WALL OF CARDBOARD BLOCKS THAT THE KIDS GOT TO "DEMOLISH" AT THE END OF THE STORYTIME)

Library Director Amanda McKay said a big orange fence will be going up around the building in the next couple of days and reminded that a majority of the renovation work will be going on inside the facility.

(HELEN MATTHES LIBRARY BOARD MEMBER ROD WIETHOP ADMIRES HIS WORK AFTER THE WALL DEMOLITION CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE CEREMONY)

Speakers included Effingham Mayor Merv Gillenwater who was joined by his grandson Owen who was on hand for Storytime and joined his grandpa in the middle of the mayor's speech, Effingham County Chamber of Commerce President Norma Lansing, Travis Franklin of Heartland Dental Care who spoke on behalf of Heartland employees, Dr. Rick Workman and Pat Bauer, and Library Board Co-President Racheal Fearday, along with architect Christian Schaller and Chuck Poettker.