WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) — The city of Walker is preparing to begin a multimillion construction project on a new library, while the existing one will be repurposed.
The new library will be two stories tall and 20,000 square feet. City leaders say the current one — which is about 8,000 square feet — is too small to meet the community’s need.
“You have things like egaming rooms and podcast rooms and things that a lot of modern libraries have,” Mayor Gary Carey said. “Go back to 1990 when the existing library building was built, they planned to expand that at some point and time, but as you look at it now just structurally, functionally, we knew we need to do something different. It made more sense to build a newer building.”
The city released renderings Thursday of what thew new library will look like. It will be built next door to the existing one and is in the same complex as City Hall off Remembrance Road near Wilson Avenue.
A courtesy rendering of a new library to be built next to Walker City Hall on Remembrance Road. 
A courtesy rendering of a new library to be built next to Walker City Hall on Remembrance Road. 
A courtesy rendering of a new library to be built next to Walker City Hall on Remembrance Road. 
A courtesy rendering of a new library to be built next to Walker City Hall on Remembrance Road.
The project will provide additional space for programming and looks to make the library into more of a gathering space and hub for access to technology.
“We couldn’t be more excited. This is something that the community has been hoping for many years,” Liz Knapp, who manages the Walker branch for the Kent District Library, said. “Right now, our programing space fits only about 40 people.”
Carey said the project — which will cover the construction of the new building and converting the old library into additional office space for the city — will cost between $20 million and $25 million. The city commission has approved financing with a bond up to $20 million. The city is hoping to raise additional funds through donations.
The city will have a groundbreaking at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The ceremony will be open to the public.
While construction is underway, the city will move its books to a temporary site in a shopping center on northwest corner of Kinney Avenue NW and Lake Michigan Drive, which will open around New Year’s.
“We will be transitioning to a temporary library in the Standale area so that we don’t lose that sense of community,” Carey said.
Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2026.
