On a bright, sunny morning on Friday May 24, Costa Mesa city leaders officially opened the new Donald Dungan Library at Lions Park, culminating Phase 1 of a $36.5 million public works project that broke ground in June of 2017.

“Libraries provide for more than just free books,” Mayor Katrina Foley said during the opening ceremonies. “Libraries serve as valuable public institutions that protect the foundation of a civil society. A library is also an investment in the social infrastructure of our community. Investing in the Lions Park Projects and Donald Dungan library is an investment in the physical space that impacts the way people interact.”

The new 23,615-square-foot library was designed by the Southern California-based architectural firm Johnson Favaro and the construction was managed by Costa Mesa’s Public Services Department and the Tovey/Shultz construction firm.

Assistant City Manager Tammy Letourneau has served as the project manager for the library for the past five years. She pointed out the library was built on time and on budget.

“To be able to open the doors to the public here for the first time is an honor I will hold dear for the rest of my life,” she said.

The LEED Gold constructed building features a main collection with numerous seating and reading areas, a children’s collection with interactive play area, a teen space with exclusive amenities, two rooms with advanced audio visual presentation capabilities that can be used for conferences or assemblies, two dedicated study rooms with presentation monitors and a Friends of the Costa Mesa Libraries work room and showcase.

Phase 1 of the project also includes a one-acre park with 25,000 square feet of programmable grass area. The library is named after Donald Dungan, who was Costa Mesa’s first city attorney, serving from 1953 to 1966. He was also a Harbor Court judge for 16 years and served on the Newport Harbor High School Board of Trustees.

The original Donald Dungan Library was built in 1986. The facility is owned by the city and library services are provided by Orange County Public Libraries.

Phase 2 will include a revamped Neighborhood Community Center and significant improvements to the Lions Park playground area.

Upon completion of Phase 2, a total of 225 new trees will have been planted in Lions Park.