COULEE CITY — The Port of Coulee City has received a $200,000 Strategic Infrastructure Grant to start design work for a new standalone public library. Some of the money will be used for upgrades to the ambulance entrance at the Coulee City Medical Clinic, according to a port press release. 

The grant was awarded by the Grant County Commissioners. 

“The award enables the port to move forward with construction-ready plans for a new library building. The library is currently operating inside the medical clinic, which restricts clinical space and prevents the facility from functioning at full capacity,” the press release said. “Prior facility assignments have documented the need for a larger, purpose-built library to meet current and future community needs.”

The clinic’s ambulance entrance will be paved, which port officials said was badly needed.

“The gravel and uneven surface make patient transport more difficult for emergency responders. With SIP funding now secured, the port will be able to complete the paving and layout improvements during the next construction window,” the press release said. 

The money will pay for architectural design, engineering and site design for the library. It will also pay for redesign of the ambulance entrance. 

The combined library and clinic were part of an earlier port project. The combined building provided updated facilities for both. The previous medical clinic dated from World War II, shared space with the port, and needed expansion and modernization. The previous library facility was even older, in one of the oldest buildings in town. It shared space with a number of private businesses. 

“With SIP funding awarded, the port can complete cost estimates for various Phase 5 components,” the press release said. “This grant also better positions the port to potentially receive $3 million in FY 2027 federal construction funding for the library building requested by US Senator Maria Cantwell.”