Avon Library Turns Felled Trees On Site Into Facility Treasures

AVON, CT — There's recycling the way most of us do it — bottles, cans, boxes and newspapers — and then there's the way the Avon Free Public Library does it.

Recently, Avon Public Library Director Glenn Grube shared with folks that several pieces of new furniture at the 281 Country Club Road site that have, well, very interesting origins.

According to Grube, it all started in 20221, when the library was replacing the building's geothermal heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

This was a major project, one that featured extensive impacts to the site in order to provide extensive impacts to the facility.

Hence, several trees had to go to make way for the construction, including a couple of "beautiful" maple trees, according to Grube.

Flash ahead one year later, and the library's powers that be announced that the tree has become more than firewood.

It's has become treasured pieces of furniture for library patrons to use.

"Now in 2022, that tree has returned to the library in the form of two benches and a conference table," Grube wrote

The endeavor was funded by the Friends of the Avon Library, a separate, nonprofit group whose aim is to support the library fiscally beyond taxpayer funds.

And the work was done by Ted Esseltyn of City Bench in Higganum (Haddam), a small company that specializes in custom-made wooden furniture.

"The wood from two maple trees was milled, dried and used to create this beautiful furniture," Grube said.

Visually, the end product is rustic looking, but artistically eye-pleasing and it serves its purpose comfortably too.

Library officials made the announcement of the work's completion earlier this month and, now, visitors can see the project's results for themselves.

For more information on City Bench in Higganum, click on this link.

For more information on the Avon Public Library, click on this link.