The Wake County Board of Commissioners wants to replace Athens Drive Community Library in southwest Raleigh with a new building across the street on the site of the Well Fed Community Garden, the board agreed at a Monday work session. That’s good news for library patrons and community members who have been advocating for more than a year to keep the replacement local.
Wake County’s $142 million library bond package, passed in 2024, includes money to replace Athens Drive Community Library, which is currently located within Athens Drive Magnet High School. That cohabitation has created security concerns for the school and led to a stark reduction in the library’s hours. With the school slated for renovation beginning this summer, county staff have been searching for other locations to relocate the community library.
Throughout the search, Athens Drive Community Library patrons urged the county to keep their library as close to the current site as possible, citing its walkability, proximity to transit, and accessibility to a dense, growing, racially and economically diverse neighborhood. The area is close to North Carolina State University, the State Farmers Market, and the Beltline…