“Refresh” of Hinds Plaza Provides Opportunity to Increase its Benefits
To the Editor:
Belatedly, we recently learned that a consultant has working on a plan to “refresh” Hinds Plaza, the small square of public space created by the design and construction of the new Princeton Public Library and dedicated for the use of all Princetonians 20 years ago. The library has grown into our community’s living room, and the plaza has become its equally valued front porch.
On May 2, the town Council will unveil the consultant’s proposal for refreshing this beloved community asset. Let’s go beyond surface updates and make the most of this opportunity to increase the benefits this central common space brings to all of us.
One approach would be to install underground geothermal wells to eliminate the library’s reliance on fossil fuel and greatly lower its heating, cooling, and lighting costs. Adding solar panels could offset the library’s electricity consumption. Beyond putting as many solar panels on the library roof as possible, solar panels could be creatively combined with decorative structures to provide definition and shaded areas for the plaza.
Hinds Plaza has so much more to offer our town than a pleasant landscape. We have a world class example of geothermal electrical systems on the Princeton campus just across Nassau Street, and a community-wide commitment to environmental sustainability to build on. Let’s go!