Pinckney’s Village Community Education Center Gets New Life

My kids went to this school. A dedicated pre-K and Kindergarten building at the time, it was a wonderful transition to elementary school for them, and many others. But Pinckney Schools, like many other Michigan School Districts, has been losing families and school age children and had some tough choices to make. They’re still making them, for that matter.

I recently drove through downtown Pinckney (Village) and a turn down a side street brought me to the now boarded up school. It’s a sad and too common sight – buildings that were an integral part of a community sitting unused. I knew that voters had approved a bond issue to reuse this building as the new Pinckney Community Library but of course it takes time to go through the formalities of site plan approval, construction bids and the like.

I’m happy to say that the work should start soon. Even though the building’s size will be trimmed from more than 30,000 square feet to a more modest 13,000 square feet, this new library will be a huge improvement for the community. Keeping buildings in use, providing needed services to the community, and yes, eliminating the blighted look that a boarded up building conveys are all good things.

As reported in the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus, it’s hoped that the new facility will be open in the Fall of 2012. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place this Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 10am at 125 W. Putnam, Pinckney.