Cold Lake Public Library cultivates outdoor reading garden concept
In this garden, all kinds of amazing things grow – from edible flowers and fragrant foliage, to a love of reading and a thirst for knowledge.
The Cold Lake Public Library’s new outdoor reading garden is a thoughtfully and creatively designed space that offers nooks and crannies for those who value solitude and focus – but also provides an area large enough to host concerts and gatherings.
The potential for this space is virtually limitless, says library manager Leslie Price. Eventually, she hopes to offer outdoor programming that can serve all sorts of audiences, from children and caregivers to college students, seniors, new Canadians, and those with disabilities.
“Not only do we have the capacity to host up to 150 people for concerts and performances on our new stage, but we are also incorporating interesting little gardens,” says Price. “This allows us to hold workshops on all kind of topics like composting and gardening in raised garden beds.”
Ultimately, she adds, the library’s goal is to support literacy of all stripes through this attractive outdoor space – whether it’s passing on historical and cultural customs, such as picking and preserving berries, or encouraging creativity by cultivating spaces that inspire fantasy and imagination like a fairy garden.
As part of Enbridge's investment in the communities near our projects and operations, the Wood Buffalo Pipeline Extension project recently contributed $10,000 toward development of the library’s outdoor reading garden in northeastern Alberta.
“When we first started dreaming about all this project could be, I never could have anticipated how people would want to come alongside us and partner with us in making this vision a reality for our community,” says Price. “We are very grateful for Enbridge’s enthusiastic support of this project. We’ve been able to accomplish much more this year than I ever thought we would.”
This spring and summer, volunteers have been able to finish a new patio, and windows are now being replaced before work begins on a kids’ zone, a fairy garden and a dinosaur garden.
At Enbridge, we believe strongly in investing in the communities where we live, work, and play, and Cold Lake is an important community along our Athabasca Pipeline right-of-way.
There’s plenty of evidence to support the notion that libraries provide a key role in building strong and vibrant communities, where diversity is welcomed and celebrated.
“Public libraries are community-builders and are places where people come to know themselves, their communities and the world,” says Enbridge stakeholder relations advisor Malina Adams.
“We were excited to support this initiative, which we believe will further contribute to creating strong community connections in the city of Cold Lake.”
