ROCKPORT — Periodically, Rockport’s former town manager, Rick Bates, circulates construction updates about the new town library now being built in Rockport Village. Bates was contracted by the town to update the public about the process. His report follows.

By Rick Bates

Work continues on the final portions of the foundation walls, with the final pour tentatively planned for September 24th. As always this date and other dates are tentatively and could change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

Waterproofing of the lower sections of the previously poured foundation walls, is scheduled to begin on or about September 12th. This waterproofing is a specific waterproofing system that includes a sprayed- on membrane over the foundation exterior, a drain system to collect any moisture that may collect outside of the membrane and allow it to pass down the wall to the perimeter drain. This is then back filled with 3⁄4 inch crushed stone that is two feet thick over the entire foundation wall. This will drain any water away from the building and down to the perimeter drains and to the street drain on Russel Avenue.

Once waterproofing on the lower sections of the building is complete, perimeter drain will be installed and connected to the Russel Ave drainage system. The process of backfilling will also begin on or about September 19th, moving up the foundation walls in two phases.

The first delivery of structural steel is expected on Monday September 23rd with the second delivery on Wednesday, October 9th. These two deliveries are expected to be sizable but will not require transit through Limerock and Huse street.

This steel is to support the poured concrete main floor, that will house the collection of books as well as the roof structure and walls. This steel erection is expected to begin on or about October 14th, with the main floor tentatively planned for a pour, the week of October 28th. The lower level floor (the program room floor) is planned for a pour on December 11th

The roof trusses are being fabricated and prepared for delivery on October 16th and 17th. Again, these are big pieces and will be delivered on large trucks. But as with the structural steel, the trucks will not be transiting Huse or Limerock Street.

Wood framing is expected to begin the week of November 25 with the metal roofing tentatively scheduled to go on starting the week of December 16th. It is hoped that the building will be nearly weather tight by the first of the year. This is one year that I am not hoping for a white Christmas.

There is a lot of other work that will go into the construction of the new library and this hits on the major high points of interest. As always, the dates are tentative targets at this point and could and will likely change somewhat.

Keep in mind that the entire foundation needs to be backfilled and much (not all) of this foundation will be buried underground.

Preparing for the final pour of the foundation walls. This view shows the location of the front wall and column structure that will support the upper deck that looks down over central street. You can also see part of the drainage system that the perimeter drains will connect to, once installed.

The wood roof trusses being assembled at the Mainely Truss factory in Fairfield Maine and being stacked and loaded for shipment to Rockport.

Two photos of the “Children’s Librarian’sdesk built at Phi Designs to be donated to the Library project.

This is the first of two desks being donated by Phi to the project, the other is the MUCH larger circulation desk that will be the centerpiece as you enter the front doors of the Library.

Finally, the Library foundation reached another milestone having raised $1.7 million of the $2 million they are attempting to raise for the construction project. Just a little more tape to be removed.