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The Review/Bill Decker
Construction continues Wednesday on the new St. Mary Parish Library's Berwick branch.

Construction continues at new Berwick library

The St. Mary Parish Library Berwick branch is taking shape, although not as quickly as officials had hoped.

They’re looking forward to the completion of construction in six to eight weeks, followed a few weeks later by a grand opening.

When complete, the 8,100-square-foot building will be more than twice as large as the old library on the site at the corner of Texas and Fourth streets, not far from Berwick Elementary.

The 2-year-old project will have cost about $3 million, Director Julie Champagne Culler said.

Culler laughed a bit when asked about the expected completion date. There was a time, nearly three years ago, when the library was expected to be done by now.

But as with another major infrastructure project, the rehabilitation of the U.S. 90 bridge, the anticipated end dates has been pushed back more than once, and for some of the same reasons: COVID-19 and the resulting supply chain snafus that created periodic shortages of materials.

Now, Culler said, she can feel confident about the six- to eight-week timeline.

The new building already catches the eyes with towering windows extending up from the main entrance.

The new branch will have a multipurpose room, a client room available for quiet reading away from the library traffic, and the capacity to offer computer-assisted classes.

The branch will also have something parents of small children will like: a family bathroom. The restroom will be set up so that a father can take in his little daughter and a mother can escort a little boy — no more waiting until the coast is clear.

The new building will also offer lots of space for programming, Culler said.

ST. MARY NOW

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