Roseland Review by Duane Dewitt - August 2019
Roseland Community Library will live on into the future. “The Sonoma County Library has signed a six-year lease on a building at 470 Sebastopol Road, across the street from the current temporary library.” according to Ray Holley of the Sonoma County Library System. He pointed out to Roseland Review in an email announcing the good news in late June, the agency is not affiliated with the County of Sonoma. Mr. Holley emphasized, “We are a separate public agency.” He went on to say, “We have to wait for one of the current tenants to relocate, so it will be near the end of the year before we open.” Of importance to Roseland residents and local library users he noted, “The new library will have abundant parking, heating, air conditioning and a roof that doesn't leak — all things the current library lacks.”
The current library is the one installed in the “Dollar Store” building at 777 Sebastopol Rd. a few years ago once Sonoma County taxpayers purchased 7 acres of the Roseland Village Shopping Center on the north side of Sebastopol Rd. at the northern end of West Ave. This was where the former Albertsons’ grocery store was located. This was torn down by the county in order to attract a housing developer. Also it was done to make use of millions of dollars of taxpayers money county staff did not want to return to the state of California when the Roseland Redevelopment Agency was disbanded. A one acre green space was advocated for to be at the site by local residents.
Holly also emphasized, “This is still a temporary situation. A permanent library for Roseland is a long term project and funding has not been identified. However, this gives the people of Roseland an improved library while we work on the permanent project.” He can be contacted at this email RHolley@sonomalibrary.org . There is a group of Santa Rosa residents operating as the Roseland Library Coalition. They are seeking to help with funding for the permanent library. The group has placed petitions to be “Pledges of Support” in the Roseland Library to be signed by anyone interested in showing support. The group is working with the Sonoma County Public Library Foundation also not affiliated with Sonoma County government.
Roseland library has become a wonderful resource for Roseland residents and anyone else who wants to make use of the public facilities. The staff are especially helpful in assisting patrons and visitors with information and guidance on using the laptop computers on site. The children’s section has been very active ever since the grand opening with Saturdays an especially busy day. Sometimes musical groups have played in the large building. There are efforts afoot to try and get the Boys and Girls Club branch currently in the building to also have a space to be in the future.
On Thursday August 15, 2019 at 10:00 am until 2 pm the Roseland Library will host a “Veterans Connect Pop up” to provide information and assist Veterans with information about various benefits available to them. If any readers are interested in volunteering to help veterans the Santa Rosa Clinic located off Airport Blvd. in Windsor is always looking for helpers. You can contact Deidre Davis at 707-569-2494 or Maria Velez at 707-569-2300 to volunteer. There are a number of Roseland Veterans working to have a Roseland Veterans Memorial, Veterans Healing Garden, Veterans Grove and Veterans Trail next to the south side of Roseland Creek in the Roseland NeighborWood between Burbank Ave. and McMinn Ave. Contact Roseland Review to be connect with veterans from VetConnect and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 223 spearheading the efforts. Congressman Mike Thompson our 5th US congressional District has written in support of the project to the Santa Rosa City Council seeking their support. So far they have ignored the veterans, but some Veterans of the area neighborhoods will not give up on the efforts to recognize Roseland veterans who have served our country.
On Saturday August 3 at 10 am on the eastern block of Sunset Ave. between McMinn Ave. and West Ave there is going to be a “neighborfest” type of “block” party paid for by the Santa Rosa taxpayers. Come on out and met our neighbors.
Last, but not least, the Sonoma County Transit Authority is seeking input for the Sonoma County Comprehensive Transportation Plan 2050. You can go to scta.ca.gov to tell them you support the completion of the Roseland Creek Bikeway / Greenway propose many decades ago. It was also the subject of the Roseland Creek Concept Plan adopted by Santa Rosa in 2007. School starts in Roseland onTuesday, August 13, 2019.
Please be a careful driver for the children!
