The blueprints for a new library in Coachella were released in 2016, but on Saturday that vision became a reality as the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new library brought out hundreds of Coachella residents.

The 15,000 square-foot library is described as the “heart of the city” and it is part of the city’s plan to continue to revitalize. Resident Monique Fundora is taking notice.

Fundora said, “It’s nice to see the upgrade, it’s nice to see that Coachella is finally lifting up, I mean most people know Coachella because of the festivals or Coachella Fest.”

She visited the library with most of her family including her daughter Gabriela Fundora. They said they have already spent plenty of time in the old library because of their love of books, but they do not mind the new building.

Gabriela said, “It seems more hip, more like alright, I want to hang out here because personally I saw that and I was like ‘Oh man it’s a big upgrade’.”

And $1,000,000 later the Coachella Library has almost 30,000 items to check-out, plus 20 public computers, meeting spaces and a park surrounding the library, a plan that began to take shape four years ago.

Coachella’s Mayor Pro Tem, Betty Sanchez, said a measure voted-in in 2014 to establish a 1% sales tax within city limits for projects like the library.

Sanchez said, “Measure U was a big financial component to this, without it, there’s no way we could of fund it.”

She said there are more developments to come to Coachella such as improvements to the senior center and more businesses to come.

Monique and her family welcome the renovations by the city, she said it looks different from when she first moved to Coachella.

She said, “We moved here five or six years ago and to see within the six years all of the progress that’s been coming up, it’s fantastic, we love it.”

Coachella Residents Cut Ribbon of New Public Library