At the corner of community and creativity in downtown Canandaigua, NY, a garden is helping write the next chapter of a beloved institution. The newly completed Wood Library Reading Garden offers more than scenic respite. It stands as a thoughtfully designed space for education, wellness, environmental stewardship and connection – values that echo far beyond the garden’s 2,000 square feet.
Spearheaded by the library in response to community needs that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, and brought to life through a strong public-private partnership, this new outdoor space affirms what many already know to be true: libraries are the heart of every community. And like the communities they serve, libraries must evolve, strengthen and adapt to remain vital and relevant.
The Garden’s Origin Story
The concept for the Reading Garden was seeded during the early days of the pandemic. With indoor programs on pause and virtual events becoming the norm, library leadership realized how limited their ability was to safely engage the community outdoors. That vision grew quickly with input from surveys and focus groups. Residents didn’t just want green space – they wanted a purpose-built, welcoming place to gather, to learn and to belong.
At the center of the preliminary design effort was Ted Liddell, a local landscape architect whose early vision harmonized the garden with the library’s historic architecture. As the concept took shape, Colliers Engineering & Design became involved to provide project management and oversight, working closely with the library, community members, and construction partner RM Landscape to move the project from vision to reality. The result is an elegant outdoor space that balances flexibility, accessibility, and aesthetic beauty.
Nestled just north of the library building, the space features a columned entryway from Main Street, an accessible path from the rear parking lot and an interior connection to the children’s library. Once inside, visitors can enjoy a shaded pergola, a reading theater, demonstration gardens and pockets of native plantings that invite pause and reflection. The garden is open to the public seven days a week, and smooth, level pathways ensure access for all – including those using strollers, wheelchairs and walkers.
“This space is everything we hoped it would be – a community living room, a learning environment and a peaceful retreat,” said Jenny Goodemote, Executive Director of Wood Library. “It’s a place for everyone to connect with nature, with stories and with one another.”
A Design That Serves the People
The success of the Reading Garden lies in its deliberate blend of form and function. It is not merely a landscaped courtyard or a decorative front yard. It is a living extension of the library’s mission, offering a variety of spaces for public programs, educational activities and quiet moments alike.
From a design perspective, the space reflects a layered understanding of how people interact with built and natural environments. “The design centered on creating a seamless transition between the library’s interior and the outside world,” said Eric Shaw, Landscape Architecture Geographic Discipline Leader at Colliers Engineering & Design. “Every element, from the grade of the paths to the placement of benches, was considered with usability, beauty and sustainability in mind.”
That same intentionality is reflected in the rain garden, created in partnership with the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association. The demonstration area introduces visitors to sustainable stormwater management, complete with educational signage and native plants that filter runoff and support pollinators. “It’s a great example of how public spaces can educate while they serve,” Shaw added.
The garden also features a Native American shade garden created in partnership with Tonia Loran-Galban, a Haudenosaunee Culture Bearer, pollinator gardens and shaded nooks that create natural zones for small gatherings. “This is a space for discovery,” said Kimberly Baptiste, Planning Discipline Leader, Colliers Engineering & Design. “But it’s also a space for restoration. We wanted to give library patrons and the public a place where they could read, reflect or simply exist, and feel welcome doing so.”
Honoring the Land Through Native Plantings
Among the garden’s most meaningful features is the Native American Shade Garden, designed in partnership with Loran-Galban, who served as a former interpretive guide at Ganondagan State Historic Site in Victor, NY. Reflecting the deep cultural and ecological history of the region, this garden includes plant species historically used by Haudenosaunee communities for food, medicine, ceremony, and everyday life.
Each plant was selected with intention – spicebush, wild ginger, bloodroot, and Virginia bluebells, among others – accompanied by traditional names and uses passed down through generations. Together, the space honors Indigenous knowledge while offering visitors an opportunity to reflect on the region’s origins and the enduring connection between people, plants, and place.
A Community-Built Legacy
The Reading Garden project was made possible thanks to the generosity of hundreds of local donors, support from Ontario County, private foundations and New York State Library Construction Aid designated for library improvements. The bipartisan backing of local legislators, including State Senator Pam Helming and Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan, further emphasized the library’s role as a community anchor. Gallahan described the garden as “a legacy for the next generation – or three or four or five generations,” while Helming called libraries “the heart and soul of our communities.”
It’s a sentiment shared by Scott Bova, Architecture Geographic Discipline Leader., Colliers Engineering & Design. “Libraries are one of the few truly public spaces left where everyone is welcome, no matter who they are or where they come from. We saw this project as an opportunity that supports inclusiveness, to make sure the physical space reflects a sense of welcome.”
Libraries, Health and Human Connection
In recent years, the role of public libraries has expanded well beyond bookshelves and circulation desks. A growing body of research frames libraries as essential players in public health. A 2019 article in the Journal of Community Health positions libraries as “meso-level” institutions that bridge individual health needs with broader population wellness. They do this by providing access to reliable information, hosting wellness programming and creating safe, stigma-free spaces where people can connect and heal.
The Urban Libraries Council highlights five key ways public libraries extend their impact, from supporting disaster response and workforce development to tackling social isolation and digital equity. In each case, physical space matters. The architecture of inclusion must be as intentional as the services delivered within it.
At Wood Library, that philosophy is already at work. The Reading Garden now serves as an outdoor classroom, a community gathering place and a wellness resource. It complements existing library programs like the Seed Library and offers a platform for new initiatives such as environmental workshops, mindfulness events and story hours in the fresh air.
A Statewide Context
Across New York State, libraries continue to demonstrate their power to engage, educate and inspire. In 2022 alone, more than 1.4 million children and teens participated in summer reading programs, with over 50,000 youth events hosted by public libraries. Tools like Bibliostat Connect help library systems assess performance and ensure equity in access and funding.
These numbers underscore a broader truth: when libraries thrive, communities do too. And when public spaces are thoughtfully designed to support those libraries, the ripple effects are far-reaching.
A Living Symbol of What’s Possible
The Wood Library Reading Garden is more than a beautification project. It is a physical expression of what happens when design meets purpose, when collaboration meets community and when a library dares to grow in new directions.
For the team at Colliers Engineering & Design, it represents the kind of work we take pride in – projects that matter not only for what they build, but for what they nurture.
As the garden continues to bloom, so too will the programs, partnerships and possibilities it supports. And like any good book, this story is just getting started.