The Vinton branch of the Roanoke County library system is one of the most visited libraries in the county, welcoming 200,000 visitors per year. A proposal to move that library into the former Dunman Floral Supply warehouse in downtown Vinton excites local officials about the potential of creating more downtown pedestrian traffic.
“No other business can get that many people a year,” Chris Lawrence, town manager, says. “The library would become the anchor of downtown. If someone comes to the library and then does one other thing downtown, hopefully they would continue to come back.”
While funding for the design of a new library has been approved, no funding exists for construction; the estimated cost is $9 million. At press time, the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors was reviewing a budget and is proposing to fund the construction.
“Today’s libraries are more than a place to check out books,” Lawrence says. “It’s a community information hub. What better place to have in downtown Vinton?”
