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Centennial Project
Rotary Proposes Library Landscaping
BY MARK RICE
Staff Writer
 Rotary
Club representatives proposed Wednesday a $12,000 landscaping
addition to Muscogee County's $50.4 million new main library project.
Muscogee Rotary Club president Sheri Cody and president-elect
Kenneth Couture presented the idea during the Muscogee County
Library Board's facilities committee meeting. The committee recommended
the full board consider the proposal Sept. 25.
The envisioned 2,250-square-foot "Rotary Reading Garden"
would comprise five pond bald cypress trees, 50 Buford holly bushes,
a masonry bench and brick sculpture commemorating Rotary International's
centennial in 2005. The library is scheduled to open at the former
Columbus Square Mall property on Macon Road by January 2005.
 The
bench is targeted to be near the main entrance, so it would be
well used as a good place for patrons to wait for a ride, Cody
said.
Leading up to Rotary's centennial celebration,
the 30,000 service clubs are expected to complete a project that
meets a need in the particular community and enables Rotarians
to participate.
The city's two other Rotary Clubs, downtown and East Columbus,
have "expressed preliminary interest" in joining the
Muscogee club's effort, Cody said.
The library project has $237,000 budgeted for landscaping.
The Rotary contribution could make money available for more books
or other library materials, Cody said.
Project update
Newt Aaron, the library construction manager, said the new main
library project remains on budget and on time. The project's construction
budget of $24.6 million actually is forecast to be $816,086 under
budget, according to the end of August figures.
In early October, folks should start seeing the building's steel
columns, Aaron said.
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