Waukee Public Library Moving Forward with Ori Addition

When former Waukee resident Hiram Ori died in October 2010, he set in motion a final tribute that would make his parents proud.

Ori, 87, willed more than $700,000 to the with the stipulation that the money somehow would honor his parents, Ernesto and Casimira Ori. The Oris were Italian immigrants who lived in Waukee until their deaths in 1974 and 1982, respectively.

"They specified that we build a meeting room in honor of his parents," said Erik Surber, dirctor of the Waukee Public Library. "He wanted to honor not only his parents, but also the immigrant community in general."

And honor he shall. With the help of the Waukee Public Library's Board of Trustees and the , Hiram Ori's dream will come to fruition as construction on a meeting room and historical museum space will soon be underway at the Waukee Public Library. 

Final plans for the addition were discussed and approved at a joint meeting of the Library Board and the Council Monday night.

Who was Hiram Ori?

Ori and his family members worked in the Shuler Mine, which operated in the first half of the 1900s in Waukee.

Hiram Ori died on Oct. 22, 2010, in Denver, Colo. He served in the Army in both World War II and the Korean War, then worked for Coors Brewing Co. in Colorado. He is survived by a brother, Richard, and two sisters, Olga and Yolanda. Ori never married and had no children.

In an interview last year, Richard Ori of Clive said he wasn't at all surprised that his older brother Hiram, the oldest of the Ori's 11 children, wanted to do something like this for the library.

"I think Hiram felt the library was a place for younger people to learn and advance," he said. "I wasn’t sure what his plans were but it was something he wanted and I'm glad he did it."

The Ori Addition

The money Ori willed to the Library, the single largest gift in the Library's history, will be used to build a 2,000 square-foot meeting room and historical museum space at the front and south sides of the Library. 

The meeting room will include lofted ceilings and seating for 50-60 people.

The museum will feature items about Waukee's history including information about the miners and the families who lived and worked in the Shuler Mining Camp.

The look of the hallway, with its darkened halls and tunnel-like design, will remind patrons of an actual coal mine. The entire project was designed by architects GE Wattier.

If all goes as planned, the city will send the plans to construction companies by Sept. 18 with bids anticipated back by Oct. 9. Construction could be underway as soon as November.