CITY, COUNTY PREPARE FOR NEW FACILITY.

Byline: Angela M. Lemire Staff Writer

Anticipating a completion date in January 2001, city and county officials will break ground Oct. 22 for a new jointly funded Canyon Country library.

The new library site on Soledad Canyon Road and Shangri-La Drive will be graded over the next month, and actual construction, expected to last 14 months, is slated to begin in January, said city management analyst Ken Striplin.

A groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Oct. 22 at the construction site. Los Angeles County, city, library officials, local legislators and representatives for the developer are expected to attend, officials said.

``We're really close to beginning. Right now we're finalizing some points of the agreement with the county, and we're working on the details for the interior,'' Striplin said.

City and county officials continue to select components to be incorporated in the facility's interior design, he said, noting that residents' and local school officials' input would be considered.

At recent community meetings, many residents said they wanted the new library to include modern technology, such as Internet access, computer word processing and multimedia presentation devices. Others requested an area for local artists to showcase their work, and a community multipurpose room.

In the purchase and lease agreement reached with the developer, TCP Management, the developer will develop the freestanding library, including all fixtures and interior furniture. The structure would feature an outdoor courtyard, stonework, tiles and water fountains, according to city officials.

In the joint venture with county government, the city of Santa Clarita is initially putting up all the money - $5.1 million - to build the new 17,000-square-foot building for the county Library Services Agency. The new library initially will occupy 10,000 square feet of the building and take over the remaining 7,000 square feet as needs increase.

The city will lease out unused portions of the facility until that time and earmark funds for future maintenance, the two parties also have agreed. The county would be responsible for maintaining the inside of the building, while the city will take care of the exterior, officials said.