Hefty book benches offer a refuge for readers
WATERLOO — Books often can be a refuge, and offer a chance to escape, unwind and recharge.
But the patio outside the main branch of Waterloo Public Library takes that reality to a new level, with two new concrete benches in the shape of open books that literally provide a place to rest and relax.
The book benches were donated by longtime Waterloo residents Frank and Dolores Steffler, who were looking for a permanent way to pay tribute to their parents, Leander and Rose Steffler and John and Mary Ann Dorscht.
“They were always such nice people, and they treated us very well,” Dolores Steffler said. “They did everything for us.”
They also wanted the commemoration to be something useful that the public could enjoy.
The idea of benches outside the library fit the bill, they said. “Libraries are an important, valuable asset,” said Frank Steffler.
The benches, which were installed a couple of months ago, have proven to be popular, particularly with kids taking part in children’s programming in the room right beside the patio, said Gloria Van Eek-Meijers, deputy chief executive at the library.
The benches are also a popular spot for people taking a lunchtime break.
“The response has been amazing,” Van Eek-Meijers said. “They’re beautiful and they’re a statement about the enduring value of books.”
The Stefflers worked with Ed’s Concrete in Stratford, which designed and built the unique benches.
Coming up with the design was a lot of fun, said André Timmermans, who helped shepherd the project at Ed’s Concrete.
“I was just really intrigued and excited about it being a unique design,” he said. “It was challenging to take the idea and bring it to fruition.” And the end result proved surprisingly comfortable, he said.
In an age when electronics seem to dominate, the design reminds people about the value of old-fashioned, physical books with pages and covers, he said.
Ed’s installed the benches, which are about 1.2 metres wide and each weigh 1,360 kilograms (3,000 pounds), with the truckmounted crane it uses for residential cast steps, Timmermans said. “It was just a simple drag and drop.”
The library is holding a formal dedication ceremony on Sept. 20, but the Stefflers say they don’t want the focus to be on them.
“We both had great parents and we feel, in some way, we wanted to keep their memory alive, so it was never about us,” said Frank Steffler. “It is a wonderful feeling to give and that is all we wanted.”