IMAGE GALLERY: Hundreds of Residents, Families Sign Their Name Onto McAuliffe Library Project

There was a steady flow of visitors to Hemenway Elementary School on Saturday, as hundreds of residents and families stopped by to sign a steel beam, that will be used in the construction of the new $8.6 million Christa McAuliffe Library branch in Nobscot, almost directly across the street from the elementary school.

The Framingham Library Foundation allowed residents and families to sign the steel beam from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by noon there were very few spots left to sign on one side of the beam. The bean was eventually flipped so that by 5 p.m. it was covered from every angle with red, black, and gold signatures, memories, thoughts and quotes.

Several politicians and town leaders stopped by to sign the beam, including State Sen. Karen Spilka and State Rep. Chris Walsh, who also is an elected Framingham Library Trustee.

Walsh and other library trustees answers residents’ questions about the new library branch construction project on Saturday, too.

Members of the Framingham Rotary Club also signed the beam, and later Rotarian Liz Kaprielian videotaped portions of the beam, including many of the signatures, quotes and drawings.

Samdy Griffin wrote “In loving memory of Joyce St. Andre, a real book lover!”

There were quotes from Dr. Seuss and JD Salinger written on the beam.

Framingham School Committee Chair Beverly Hugo wrote “Libraries pave the path for opportunity and access for all children.”

Several wrote that the project was a long time coming. In 2005.

Town Meeting voters rejected a proposal to build a new library branch. But in May 2013, Framingham Town Meeting approved funds for the new $8.6 million Christa McAuliffe Library branch 149-1.

Construction began on the new library branch in October 2014.

In 2012, Framingham was awarded a state grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners of $4.2 million for the project.

Special Town Meeting, by law, needed to approve the full cost of the project, including the grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. The Commissioners will pay the town of Framingham 20 percent of the $4.2 million grant over a five-year period.

Framingham taxpayers share of the project is estimated at $3.8 million, and will be funded over a 20-year capital bond.

The proposed one-story, L-shaped library will be about triple the size of the current library branch in Saxonville.

The new Nobscot library branch will be about 17,000 square feet and have parking for 55 vehicles.

The Framingham Library Foundation has pledged $600,000 to the new McAuliffe branch library project.

The design of the new branch reflects whom the library will be named after, the late first teacher in space and Framingham native Christa Corrigan McAuliffe.

What is now known as the McAuliffe Library branch opened in Saxonville in 1963, and was later renamed in honor of the astronaut, after she died in the 1986 Challenger disaster.

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View a slideshow of 3 dozen photos Framingham Patch took between noon and 1 p.m. at the link below.

The first photo in the slideshow attached to this reportis from Framingham Patch, and the other 10 photos are reader submission on Framingham Patch Facebook yesterday.

Patch would still love to see your ”signing the beam” photos. You can upload them to the comment section below.