Can you imagine a library in a park, and a park in a library? If you can imagine it, can you build it – in gingerbread?
This isn’t your typical gingerbread contest. Instead of a gingerbread house, we want to see your best gingerbread library. And how you decorate around the building is just as important – we want to see your best imaginary park alongside the library.
The Cedar Rapids Public Library and Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation are working on plans for a real-life new Westside Library and city park. Located near the corner of Wiley Boulevard SW and 20th Avenue SW, the new Westside Library will bring a permanent library with more space and more amenities to our community’s southwest side. At the same time, the Parks department will design a new park next to the library.
Our dream is to have the library and the park fit together. The library should feel like part of the park, and the park should feel like an extension of the library.
What does that look like? Designers are still working on the plans for both projects– and we want to see what you can imagine! We want you to dream of the possibilities and build them in gingerbread and candy.
How to Participate
The contest runs December 1 through 11. Beginning Dec. 1, gingerbread kits will be available for pickup at the Downtown and Ladd libraries, while supplies last. Kits will be a basic gingerbread house kit. You are encouraged to supply supplementary materials, including extra candy or supplies to enhance your library and park.
Build your gingerbread creation at home, snap a photo, and enter the contest on the form below by Dec. 11 for a chance to win great prizes!
Learn more about the Westside Library project here: https://www.crlibrary.org/locations-hours/westside
Learn more about the Westside Park project here: https://www.cedar-rapids.org/residents/parks_and_recreation/westside_library_park.php
Contest Details
There is a limit of one entry per person or family/team. Entries must include both a library and a park to be considered. By entering your photo in the contest, you give the Cedar Rapids Public Library permission to share it online and in print.
Can I use items that aren't in the kit?
Yes! We encourage your creativity! Just let us know on the sign-up form so that it can be judged in the appropriate category:
- Grand Prize
- Most Creative Library
- Most Creative Park
- People’s Choice
- Best Library and Park with no additional ingredients
- 1st and 2nd Prizes: Children; Family/Team/Group; Adult
How will the winner be chosen?
Winning gingerbread houses will be chosen from the series of categories listed above.
A panel of judges, library staff, and the public will choose winners. Public voting will take place online using the entry site below. Share your submission with your friends and family to get as many votes as possible! Voting closes December 18.
What if I need help entering the contest?
The library makes every effort to ensure our programs can be enjoyed by all. If you don't have access to a digital camera or computer to enter the contest, or if you have any other concerns about accessibility or need to request specific accommodations, please contact the library at (319) 261-7323.
Prizes
Grand Prize
$100 NewBo City Market
$50 Next Page Books
$50 Craft’d
Most Creative Library
$50 Next Page Books
$50 Craft’d
Most Creative Park
$100 Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Gift Card (can be used for pools, recreational programming, and dog parks)
People’s Choice
$100 NewBo City Market
No Additional Ingredients
$100 Moss Plant Shop
Children’s 1st Place
$100 Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Children’s 2nd Place
$50 Mini Pines Miniature Golf
Team 1st Place
$100 Groundswell Cafe
Team 2nd Place
$50 Sweet Mercantile Soda Fountain & Candy Shop
Adult 1st Place
$100 SOKO Outfitters
Adult 2nd Place
$50 Brewhemia
Grand Prize
Tom and Priscilla Polehna
"Welcome to the new branch of the CRPL! Built with energy efficient solar panels on the roof and surrounded by a beautiful park with a pond for skating, balls to play with and benches to sit and read or for enjoying the scenery. Off to the side is a place for a community garden in the spring and for your convenience, a drive through book return box!"
People’s Choice
Brayden Stolba
"Hello! Welcome to the new CRPL (Cedar Rapids Public Library)!
"As you walk to the library, choose one of two paths around the park. You will pass the giant snowman the kids have built and all the decorated trees in the snowy park. As you get closer to the library, fallen snow on the roof and colorful lights await you on the outside, and lots of great books on the shelves inside the CRPL! Merry Christmas! "
Most Creative Park
Cheryl Monsef
"My grandson Elliot and I created a library surrounded by a park that includes a koi pond, a small zoo and two snack buildings – one for humans and one for the animals. The playground has vintage-style equipment and plenty of trees and open areas for building snowmen!"
No Additional Ingredients
Mariah Schechinger
"My gingerbread house has some unique touches like the cute awning in front (in my opinion) and the drop-off box on the side. The park has some cute little additions like the little man throwing the snowballs and the snow fort."
Team – First Place
Andy Donovan
"Last night we made a delicious squash soup with a fruit salad on the side. Scanning the veggie and fruit scraps, my three-year-old daughter Max said that they looked like a 'weird forest.' That's it! So, with these skins and peels, along with some snacking seaweed and marshmallows, we created a beautiful, wild, weird garden for our library. Enjoy!"
Team – Second Place
Lucero Wilcox
"A group of kindergarteners from Cedar Valley Montessori School worked collaboratively to imagine, build and decorate this library and park.
"Our library includes: a coffee shop, an art area with scissors, a comic book section, tables and chairs, and a door that leads directly from the children's area to the park.
"Our park includes: a picnic area with seating and umbrellas, many trees, a unisex bathroom, a clothing closet and first aid station (also accessible from the library), a swing, a slide, monkey bars, a sand box, and a 'bucket dump' which pours large amounts of water every 20 minutes."
