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New Reading Spot Grows In Dunning Library Garden

 An effort to spruce up the garden took place in April as part of a citywide cleanup event.
An effort to spruce up the garden took place in April as part of a citywide cleanup event.
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Melissa Kaszynski

DUNNING — If spring ever truly arrives, book lovers will have a new spot to curl up with a good story.

As part of a citywide spring cleanup event, volunteers created a new storytime garden outside the Dunning branch of the Chicago Public Library, 7455 W. Cornelia Ave.

Library Manager Melissa Kaszynski said she has long wanted to transform the area outside the library to be more inviting for readers of all ages.

"I am so grateful to live and work in a community that cares this much," Kaszynski said.

The volunteers who mulched, weeded and moved the giant boulders into a circle to serve as seats included Jefferson Park Police District Cmdr. Bill Looney, Area North Cmdr. Roger Bay and officers assigned to the district's community policing office, Kaszynski said.

The garden, which also has benches, was vandalized on Halloween and in November, there were reports of teens selling and doing drugs in the garden while intimidating neighbors, officials said.

Efforts to starts an outdoor reading club as well as a coffee club that would maintain the garden are underway, organizers said.

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