Additional Parking Coming To Norwalk Public Library

NORWALK, CT — The city recently became the official owner of 11 Belden Avenue, which will be used to provide additional parking for Norwalk's Main Library.

In an announcement Thursday, Mayor Harry Rilling said the procurement of the property marks the culmination of a multi-year effort to expand parking for patrons of the Main Library, located at 1 Belden Avenue.

The acquisition follows the expiration of a six-year lease of the property in August 2023, according to Rilling.

"Our libraries are the cornerstone of our community," Rilling said in a news release. "Our main library sees over 26,000 visitors a month and hosts several annual events that draw hundreds of visitors thanks to the incredible work of our library staff. That's why providing additional parking through the acquisition of the 11 Belden Avenue parking lot was a major priority for the city. We are proud to be the owner of this parking lot and support our community's love for our library. Whether it's the incredible workshops for children, English-language learners who rely on assistance from library staff, students seeking educational materials or adults using our computers and Wi-Fi to apply for jobs, we are here to meet the needs of our residents."

The city will be working closely with the library administration to develop a parking guidance plan on how to best manage the facility and make sure it is accessible to library visitors, according to city officials.

"Norwalk is not only culturally diverse, it is also ability diverse," Sherelle Harris, director of the Norwalk Library, said in a news release. "Library accessibility for all patrons is vital. I am both grateful and proud that Mayor Rilling and his team have achieved a final solution. It just makes sense to have the two adjacent parking lots at 1 Belden Avenue and 11 Belden Avenue for library patrons."

Throughout 2023, the main library had over 300,000 visitors. The library offers dozens of monthly events catered to a wide range of the community's interests, including literary discussions, hands-on workshops and cultural events, city officials said.

"The Norwalk Public Library Board has collaborated with the city for years to secure ownership of this parking lot and is thrilled about this outcome," Norwalk Library Board Chair Moina Noor said in a news release. "The availability of easily accessible parking adjacent to the library is essential for Norwalk residents and crucial for the future development of the library."

The library provides hundreds of non-English speakers with diverse linguistic language assistance each month and has become a valuable hub for cultural events that strengthen connections and build community, city officials said.

"The city's acquisition of the adjacent parking lot is an historic victory for the Norwalk Public Library because it assures patrons of essential on-site parking while it preserves a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the library to expand and modernize its now-outdated physical facilities," Alex Knopp, former mayor and former chair of the Norwalk Library Board, said in a news release. "This successful conclusion to our seven-year campaign to save library parking is a major accomplishment for the Rilling administration. The collaboration between the mayor's office, the Common Council and the library board was based on our shared understanding of the strategic necessity of securing additional parking for our land-locked central library. Special thanks should go to the library's many patrons who tirelessly supported the parking project at city hearings and in social media comments."

More information about the main library is available at www.norwalkpl.org.