As the rain tapered off on the airy afternoon of Saturday, August 10, 2024, and the sun came out again, the bright green grass of the Nederland Community Library’s (NCL) brand new Reading Garden became warm, inviting bare feet to run across it for the first time, as the garden’s grand opening was being celebrated.

The Reading Garden is a project that had been in the works for over a year, with NCL Board of Directors members, NCL Foundation members, and NCL Volunteers having focused together on its development by hosting several successful fundraising efforts, fueling the project to completion.

The completely ADA-compliant garden is cozy and intimate, with a covered seating deck, perfect for reading in the fresh air. The lawn is also open, with enough room for comfortable lounging or, in the case of the children present for the grand opening, rolling around rambunctiously.

A raised stone terrace at the far end of the garden works perfectly as an event stage, where educational and entertaining presentations can take place. Nick of Time plugged in and performed his acoustic, energetic folk, which got the kids out and playing in the grass, while adults sat and mingled and enjoyed conversation over cake and root beer floats.

A cozy, communal commodity: Nick of Time became the first musician to entertain a crowd at the library’s newest event space, and got the younger attendees groovin’ on the grass.[/caption]

New NCL Board President Scarlett Ponton de Dutton and Board member Scott Papich said a few words to the crowd before cutting the ribbon to the Reading Garden.

“I’ve been on this Board for many years and it’s rare that we all agree on something,” Papich said. “This was the one thing that everybody on the Board unanimously agreed that we should do.”

“I want to thank the Board of Directors and this Foundation for the community that we have built around this library,” Papich added, addressing the crowd directly. “You all have been very supportive and it just makes me so happy to see this garden become a reality.”

“This day has been a long time coming,” Ponton de Dutton said. “We as a Board of course want to thank the library staff who have worked tirelessly to make this day happen, so it is my happiness and joy to cut this ribbon!”

The Reading Garden is now open to be the ideal location for seasonal activities at the library, from group meetings and community gatherings, to youth-focused reading sessions and hands-on crafting classes. It will be exciting to see what special events the NCL have planned to take place in their garden, under that big, Colorado sky.