Read & Roam Garden Officially Opens at WWPL
The sun was shining, the confetti was flying, and a brand-new chapter began outdoors at Westfield Washington Public Library (WWPL) as community members gathered for the official ribbon-cutting of the Read & Roam Garden.
The celebration took place on a sunny Tuesday, August 18th, 2026 following an outdoor story time—a fitting way to mark the opening of a space designed to bring together reading, learning, play, and nature.
The Read & Roam Garden transforms the outdoor area shared by Westfield Washington Public Library (WWPL) and the Westfield Washington Township Trustee’s Office into an open-air classroom and community gathering place. Featuring shaded structures, cozy reading nooks, drinking fountains, and beautifully landscaped green spaces, the garden represents the final piece of the vision for the new library campus.
Among those on hand to celebrate were Westfield Mayor Scott Willis; Erin Downey, Executive Director of the Westfield Library Foundation; Jamie Goetz Mills, Westfield Washington Township Trustee; Sheryl Sollars, Executive Director of WWPL; Justin Wiley, WWPL Board member; and several of the contractors and community partners who helped bring the project to life.
Following brief remarks, the ceremonial ribbon was cut amid a colorful shower of confetti. Guests were then invited to explore the garden and enjoy light refreshments.
From Vision to Reality
When plans for the Read & Roam Garden were announced, the planning committee envisioned a space that would take library programming beyond the building’s walls.
That vision is already becoming reality.
The garden will host outdoor story times as well as regular Community Yoga with Blossom Yoga & Pilates, giving patrons new ways to enjoy the library while spending time outdoors. And there is much more to come.
On September 19, the Westfield Library Foundation will host Read & Roam Under the Stars, a free outdoor concert featuring Country Summer. Additional programs and events for the new space are also being planned.
The Westfield Washington Township Trustee’s Office, located on the western side of the shared building, will also utilize the garden for activities such as summer camps and youth programs.
Leave Your Mark on the Garden
Community members still have an opportunity to become a permanent part of the Read & Roam Garden.
The Westfield Library Foundation continues to sell personalized engraved bricks that will be incorporated into the garden. Bricks can commemorate a family, honor someone special, celebrate an organization, or simply show support for the library and its future.
Order a personalized Read & Roam Garden brick.
The ribbon may have been cut, but the story of the Read & Roam Garden is just beginning. Come see where stories bloom.