The Children's Room will be completely refurbished - partly with city funds and partly from a drive headed by Mayor Charles Gilb. It will be renamed the Jerry Broadwell Children's Library as a memorial to Fire Captain Jerry Broadwell who died in a fire in August 1975.
25% of a $10,000 goal for the new Jerry Broadwell children's room has been pledged. A benefit concert will be held on December 17 at the San Gabriel Civic Auditorium and proceeds will be shared by the High School and the Broadwell Fund.
Arcadia Fire Capt. Jerry Broadwell died when a roof collapsed during a commercial blaze in Arcadia Wednesday. See VF "Broadwell, Jerry (1928-1975)" for a hard copy.
The City Council approved an application for $9 million in state funds to build a new library. If the state awards the funds and the council accepts them, the city would have to contribute $7 million toward the new library.
Ground was broken on March 28, 1976 for the new City Council Chambers addition to City Hall. It will be a completely separate building to the west of the present structure.
The family of Captain Jerry Broadwell, who died while fighting a fire in August, is suing the company whose building was gutted for storing flammable material in an illegal and careless manner. See VF "Broadwell, Jerry (1928-1975)" for a hard copy.
The City Council approved a recommendation to hire Glendale-based Charles Walton Associates to prepare a library building program. The proposal will cost between $50,000 and $55,000 and the new library will cost approximately $7 million.
Captain Jerry Broadwell, a 10 year veteran of the Fire Department died of burns and other injuries sustained in a blaze at the 300 block of North Santa Anita Avenue on August 20, 1975. See VF "Broadwell, Jerry (1928-1975)" for a hard copy.
A new or improved public library could become a reality in the near future. The current library is bursting at the seams with increasing amounts of books, computer equipment and an increasing number of people using the 28-year-old library.
The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, welcomed a new business into the city. Monite's Antiques and Objects of Art, which has been open since April, features antiques and collectibles, paintings, French imports and furniture.
The Arcadia Public Library has joined the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System. Library users will have access to MCLS libraries, SCAN (Southern California Answering Network at Los Angeles Public Library) and SCILL (Southern California Interlibrary Loan Network).
Grace Clark has retired after more than 21 years with the Arcadia Public Library. She was City Librarian for a number of years and has been head of the Technical Services Department for the past 15 years.