Architects present initial concepts for town center

Architects Without Borders (AWB) volunteers from Portland returned to Cathlamet Saturday to present their initial design concepts for the Cathlamet Town Hall / Library building and surrounding property.

Eight members of AWB visited Cathlamet in February to listen to input from town residents and to view the site. They measured buildings and rooms and met for two hours with 80 members of the public to hear desires and ideas of development of facilities and surrounding area.

Around 30 people attended the meeting last Saturday to provide feedback on the initial concepts. The walls of the River Street meeting room were plastered with large drawings illustrating different alternatives for the library space, town office / former fire truck bays, and overall site development.

Accessibility guided the layout alternatives for the town offices, and the drawings for the library space relocated the main entrance to the side of the building.

The site development plans included one option that eliminated the existing parking lot and one that retained parking. Both included water features for stormwater abatement and a space for public performances.

John Blumthal of AWB said that the next step for the group would be to incorporate the feedback in order to refine to one or two design plans to present to the town to use for fundraising purposes and “to generate enthusiasm.”

Kerrie McNally, town Municipal Services Clerk and Public Information Officer, said she appreciated the group’s pro bono work for the community and that she was pleased with the town square concept that the group promoted in possible designs for the buildings and surrounding property.

Librarian Connie Christopher also appreciated the architects' work.

"I was impressed both with the quality of the work they had done incorporating our ideas from the first meeting as well as how skillfully they have led two town meetings and given everyone an opportunity for input on a library renovation plan," she told The Eagle.

Christopher added that she and library volunteers are making progress on a number of internal projects.

"We are just starting work on automating the library." she said. "That will involve computerizing our entire inventory of books and movies as well as the borrower records. This will result in an efficient and streamlined check-out and materials tracking process."

In a few weeks, library customers will be able to download audiobooks at no charge, she said.

Other projects include developing a library Web site, making Wahkiakum County Historic photos available for on-line viewing, and an expanded Summer Reading Program which is scheduled to begin on July 7.