Visit the library

The Canon City Public Library is now more special than ever but it has not always been that way. After years of use and sometimes abuse, the library had deteriorated from one of the community’s most cherished assets to one of its most neglected. Lack of funding and deferred maintenance coupled with several failed ballot initiatives to replace the library had left the century old structure in very poor condition.

A small group of local citizens could no longer stand on the sidelines and watch the continued deterioration so they decided to take the problem into their own hands. Via a true grassroots effort and barn raising mentality, Create Cañon City was formed to bring the building back from near death. Thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of private contributions later, the exterior of the library was restored to its former splendor. New roof, paint, gutter, access ramps and other cosmetic improvements made the library look as good as new.

The fresh exterior prompted city officials to find the necessary money to renovate the interior. Several months later the entire building, inside and out was restored to the best it could be.

Take advantage of the wonderful community asset next time you are near 5th and Macon and remember that an ordinary person or group of people with a common purpose can really make a difference.