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A groundbreaking ceremony in February marked the official beginning of the long-awaited expansion of the city’s library. Ceremonial gold shovels for the adults, plastic shovels for the children, were used to mark the final phase of a process that began five years ago under Library Director Lana Bullion.

An initial focus group of 22 people first gathered in 2003 in the library’s community meeting room to discuss what the community wanted in its future library, Bullion said.

Interim City Manager Matt Spoor saluted Bullion’s persistence in the project, noting that in that time period the city had 14 different commissioners and three city managers, who oversaw 26 separate votes on the plan. “And not one vote against the expansion,” Spoor added.

Tropical Breeze photo by Sue Suby Safety Harbor community leaders broke ground Tuesday, Feb. 26 for the expansion of the city’s library. Above (l-r), Commissioner Nadine Nickeson, Vice Mayor Mary Lynda Williams, Mayor Andy Steingold and Eileen Bukowski, president of the Women’s Civic Club, along with several local children, toss the first shovels full of dirt as onlookers in ceremonial, yellow plastic hard hats cheered. The Women’s Civic Club founded the library in 1938.

Tropical Breeze photo by Sue Suby Ready For The Groundbreaking Kaitlyn McGowan, 5, and her little brother Christopher, 3, were eager to assist in the groundbreaking for Safety Harbor’s Library expansion. The children waited with their mother, Tracy McGowan, as officials recognized the individuals and organizations that contributed toward the $5.3 million expansion program. Kaitlyn had the honor of wielding one of the plastic shovels for children, but Christopher had to be content with the other prize of the day, one of the bright yellow ceremonial hard hats.