Etna Library Gazebo

Purpose:

Thanks to a generous donation intended to honor the memory of Pietie Birnie, longtime resident of Etna, NH, the Etna Library will soon have a gazebo! The gazebo is due to be constructed by the end of October, 2025.

The Etna Library already capitalizes on its beautiful backyard of Hayes Farm Park and the King Bird Sanctuary with our ever-changing Story Walk and special programs like this summer's Mysterious Mushrooms. The added space of a gazebo will make such events easier, serving as a central spot to gather and store items needed for the event. Having some protection from inclement weather during such gatherings will also be very useful!

Aside from its use by the library, our hope is that residents will also gain much enjoyment from the gazebo as a place to gather, sit and chat, and rest and recharge after strolls through the fields.

Design specifics:

A) Size: 14 feet wide by 20 feet long

It was determined that a size of 14’x 20’ satisfies most of the library’s goals for the gazebo (such as hosting outdoor library programs) while also having a small enough footprint so as not to distract from the beautiful views and open spaces of Hayes Farm Park.

B) Oval Shape

An oval shape is the the most conducive to both types of proposed activities–those with a central focus (children circled around a librarian reading a story), and those more spread out, with a librarian circulating to different tables where kids are working on craft projects.

C) Vinyl Material

Most gazebos are made with either vinyl or wood. Because of its significantly superior durability and less need for maintenance, vinyl was strongly recommended by experts and by various Town of Hanover Departments, and was eventually decided upon.

Location:

The gazebo's planned location is currently marked with flags out in the field. (There are orange flags marking the path's location and yellow flags marking the gazebo's placement).

Primary considerations that determined this specific location were as follows:

A) Accessibility

We needed to ensure that the gazebo was accessible to all, ADA compliant, and easy for the library staff to utilize (close enough to carry materials needed for events to, for instance).

B) Visually pleasing and non-obstructive

It was important for us to have the gazebo be a seamless part of the natural beauty around it. Our location ensures that the view into the hills of Hayes Farm Park is minimally obstructed, and that the location of the gazebo respects the privacy of surrounding homeowners.

C) Surrounded by nature

We wanted the gazebo to be in a spot that is aesthetically pleasing to those using the gazebo – to feel like they are out in nature while enjoying the gazebo.

D) Feasibility

Locations considered needed to meet conservation considerations like wetland restrictions, and were examined to make sure that the soil and slope of land were suitable to build upon.

Community Engagement:

The Etna Library Director, the Library Trustees, and the donors are all very excited about the prospect of bringing this new resource to the Etna Library and to the larger Etna community. Knowing we couldn't do it without the larger community, however, we tried to make sure that we considered all possibilities and heard from everyone during our extended planning process.

We shared a survey about the gazebo on our website for many months and received helpful feedback. We reached out to the community via the library's newsletter and email lists, posted information at the library, sent messages to Etna community email lists, and wrote about the gazebo in Town Reports, wanting to make sure we spread word about our plans (and solicited the feedback to help shape them) as widely as possible. The Library Director met with abutting neighbors and the Hayes Farm Park Committee, while also involving the Hanover Conservation Commission and all relevant Town of Hanover municipal departments in the gazebo planning process.

If you have any questions about the gazebo, please send us an email, or stop by the library!