Cedar Rapids Public Library contest asks participants to imagine a new library, park in gingerbread

CEDAR RAPIDS — A gingerbread building contest asks contestants to imagine the Westside Library and city park under development near the corner of Wiley Boulevard SW and 20th Avenue SW.

The Cedar Rapids Public Library is inviting participants to build their best gingerbread library and design a park around it as the library and Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation are working on plans for a real-life new library on the southwest side of town.

The new Westside Library will bring a permanent library with more space and more amenities to Cedar Rapid’s southwest side. The site of the new library is planned to interplay with housing, open space and other amenities, including an opportunity center offering a wide variety of social services and a food pantry. Once complete, the new library branch would replace the Ladd Library, a leased space that opened in 2013 and was established through a grant from the Hall-Perrine Foundation.

Designers are still working on the plans for the project — and the gingerbread contest will celebrate the possibilities.

The contest runs until Dec. 11. Gingerbread kits are available for pickup at the Downtown and Ladd libraries, while supplies last. Kits will be a basic gingerbread house kit. Participants are encouraged to supply supplementary materials, including extra candy or supplies to enhance their library and park.

Participants should build their gingerbread creation at home, snap a photo, and enter the contest online by Dec. 11, for a chance to win prizes in various categories such as grand prize, most creative library, most creative park, people’s choice, best library and best park as well as prizes for children, family/team/group, and adult categories.

There is a limit of one entry per person or family/team. A panel of judges, library staff, and the public will choose winners. Public voting will take place online through Dec. 18.

Contest rules, the entry form, and voting will be available at CRLibrary.org/gingerbread.

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com