January 9, 2019:

BLAINE — Local library fundraisers got a big holiday gift this season, $100,000 pledged by the BP Cherry Point Refinery to launch the major capital campaign for a public library in Birch Bay.  Representatives of the Whatcom County Library System and Friends of the Birch Bay Library met Dec. 17 with officials of the refinery on the site of the future library to celebrate BP’s lead gift. WCLS purchased property at 7968 Birch Bay Drive in 2017 and is working closely with library supporters in raising the funds necessary to build the community library.  With BP’s donation, the Friends now have $120,000 toward their ultimate goal of approximately $3.7 million to complete the project.   BP’s gift is held by the Whatcom County Library Foundation until the project reaches “shovel ready” stage. Fundraising is expected to take around five years.  A schematic design and exterior rendering by Zervas Architects can be viewed online at https://www.wcls.org/birchbay/, as can a brief video showing fly-though animation of the proposed library.  Donations for the project can be made by clicking on the yellow Donate button at the bottom of the page.

By Lynden Tribune