Council plans to purchase $300K bond for library renovations

LACONIA — The 121-year-old Gale Memorial Library is set to undergo several renovations this summer after city councilors moved forward a bond to fund needed maintenance projects at their regular meeting last week.

Work to be completed includes repointing mortar joints on the century-old building’s facade, the replacement of a skylight, repairs to the roof and a chimney located on the south side of the building and window trim repairs among other items. 

The total cost of renovations to the library is $360,000, and a large portion of those funds are for repairs to granite features on the facade. Construction management firm Bonnette, Page & Stone and subcontractors, which have yet to be selected, will complete the work. 

“All work is considered normal maintenance and repair and would be required for a 121-year-old building that has been in constant use for more than a century,” Mayor Pro Tem Mark Haynes read from city documents during the July 22 meeting. “The scope of the work was developed by the firm of Bonnette, Page & Stone after thorough inspection of this facility.”

The city anticipates the cost of the work will be $215,000 on a 20-year term for the bond. Councilors set a public hearing for their meeting on Monday, Aug. 12, to gather input prior to any action being taken. 

John Moriarty, chair of the Board of Library Trustees, said if the project is successful, the work will be largely invisible to the public.

“The work that needs to be done is $360,000 worth of work,” he said Friday. “If we do our job correctly, you won’t even notice the difference.”

But repairs to the library are needed. The building has been in constant use for well over 100 years and serves around 130,000 patrons annually.

Roof repairs and asphalt work are among the most important pieces of the project in terms of ensuring the structural integrity of the building for decades to come. Repointing of the exterior facade — including elements of Deer Island and New Brunswick granite, which give the building its touch of color — must be completed because the natural elements have degraded the mortar over the years. 

Workers will remove degraded mortar and then reapply, keeping the outside of the building looking as vibrant as it has for the last century or so. 

“It’s fair to say that this is not the first time that we’ve done that,” Moriarty said. 

Major renovations were undertaken to Gale Memorial in 2005, but after 20 years of daily use and high traffic, maintenance is required as it would likely be for any building. 

About a half-dozen areas on the facade comprise a large portion of the $360,000 price tag, Moriarty noted. The second-largest portion of the project has to do with repairs to the roof, where the crickets meet the chimneys.

The skylights, visible from the interior of the library, include copper details which have been degraded over time by caustic rainfall. And bowed windows on the lower level of the library, which have casements that are made of wood, need some attention, too.

An asphalt apron on the southwest side of the library, which directs water runoff away from the foundation of the building, is in need of repair from heat and weather-related wear-and-tear over time. Downspouts which similarly direct rain away from the structure need repairs as well.

“It’s all structural and building envelope,” Moriarty said, noting he and the other members of the board are grateful to city councilors, calling the library a “gem,” and that preventive maintenance is prudent in the long-term.

They’ve already started some of the work, utilizing funds in their operating budget, and hope to get as far along in the project as possible during this year’s construction season. They’ll begin repointing mortar on the facade this summer.

Through a quote-request process, the library board selected BPS to complete the work, and Moriarty said the firm is in the process of selecting subcontractors.

When asked about the importance of the library, Moriatry insisted on a distinction between the institution and the building itself.

“The library is an architectural gem,” he said. “It helps to establish pride in our community. But it’s also used by over 130,000 people each year.”

He noted any building would require perpetual maintenance over a period of 20 years, but this particular building has been well-used for more than a century. 

“Any building, let alone a 121-year-old building made of exquisite materials, would require premium materials and premium work to maintain it,” he said.