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Mighty Machines take over at APL

Airdrie Public Library (APL) will be closing off its parking lot July 29 for a celebration of everything with wheels. Mighty Machines Day, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Heavy lifting
All kinds of “things that go” will fill the parking lot at Airdrie Public Library July 29 for Mighty Machines Day, where families can learn more about a wide range of vehicles.

Airdrie Public Library (APL) will be closing off its parking lot July 29 for a celebration of everything with wheels. Mighty Machines Day, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will give families a fun opportunity to learn more about all kinds of vehicles. “Usually, we are closed on Sundays through the summer, but we’re welcoming the public in for a really fun, exciting literacy event,” said Pam Mathieu, junior program supervisor with APL. “It’s designed for people of all ages to enjoy together.” The parking lot, she said, will be filled with “things that go” – everything from classic cars to heavy equipment, including food trucks. Inside the library, all kinds of events and activities will be available, like a Mario Kart tournament and robots to experiment with. “We’re really looking at engaging families and encouraging them to do things together,” Mathieu said. “Quite often, we will separate ages and groups to do specific things, but this year, we wanted to just focus on the family as an entire unit.” In addition to this event, Mathieu said, APL has introduced a program called Family Friday, which runs Friday afternoons throughout the summer. Mighty Machines Day, however, was scheduled for a weekend to allow parents who normally work during the week to come out and enjoy themselves. “Family is a really big component of the community, so it’s important for us to promote and build strong family relationships,” she said. “And then, to introduce that love of story back into it – and a part of that could be from a love of things that go, and learning about them.” According to Mathieu, it’s not just kids that are into machines – it’s exciting for many parents, too. In addition to familiar vehicles like trucks and cars, the Airdrie Agricultural Society will be providing a variety of equipment that Mathieu said most urban kids likely haven’t been exposed to before. “I think it’s something that engages people of all ages, and it’s something we’re never featured before at the library,” she said. “It’s going to be fantastic – we’ve really tried to make it accessible and get participants who maybe haven’t really visited the library before to come out and see what we do and what we have to offer.” The event is being offered free of charge, but Mathieu said anyone driving to the library will need to park across the street and walk over, since the parking lot will be full of vehicles already. For everyone’s safety, she added, everything will be stationary throughout the duration of the event – nothing will be moving in the APL parking lot between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. July 29.

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