Slight tweaking of the design of a $5 million renovation to the Carnegie library here may be enough to appease critics after it was unveiled to the public at a library board meeting on Oct. 10.
Architect Paul Sapounzi, of VG Architects The Ventin Group Ltd., told board members and about 25 supporters of the libraries in Aboyne and Fergus the redesign will retain Menzies Lane, which runs across the back of the property and is used for deliveries and emergency vehicles.
The original design eliminated the lane and that became a contentious issue among those opposed to the redesign.
The new design will also see additional green space at the rear of the building. It will see a nine-foot walkway and 15-foot laneway. The redesign also allows for outdoor activities by temporarily closing the laneway.
“The laneway could be closed off … for an extended patio,” Sapounzi said. “Otherwise you could drive from either side of the property.”
In all, the building will be located about 27 feet “back from the top of the (river) bank,” Sapounzi added.
It was unclear how many parking spaces might be lost with the redesign. That has also been a contentious issue with some business owners downtown.
Warden Chris White said about 25 additional parking spaces are available at the former police station now occupied by the county’s social services branch. White said employees of the Fergus library, which will include administration staff, will be able to park at the social services building about a block away.
“We’ve adapted the project, but the concept is the same,” Sapounzi said. “We’re taking the footprint of the building and making it more compact. We’ve looked at some options to create more space in front of the building facing the river.”
The issue of relocating administration to the Fergus library was raised by several of those who addressed the board. Some felt the Fergus design could be scaled back if administration remained at Aboyne.
Board member Jennifer Dixon raised the issue and was told administration space originally planned was about 900 square feet. Dixon said removing administration would do little to reduce the size of the project.
Sapounzi said the redesign will not be visible from St. Andrew Street with the current building retained and a “two-storey with a pop up at the rear.”
Silvana Sangiuliano, who has voiced concern about the extent of the Fergus library redesign, admonished county and board officials for not conducting the necessary studies, including traffic, parking and the extent of contaminated soil and contaminants from materials that would be removed from the current library during the renovations.
Sangiuliano has maintained that without the studies the $5 million price tag could blossom by several million.
“There is significant contamination on the entire site,” she said, an issue already acknowledged to an extent in the original design plan.
“A 15,000 square foot building is much too large,” she said in her presentation. She added a plan for additional green space “is driving the planned (library) expansion.” Sangiuliano said the plan needs more public input.
Businessman Stephen Lund also addressed a lack of public consultation. Lund was critical of support for the expansion voiced by the BIA. He said a group of about 100 business people has not been asked for their input on the project.
“(They) were never asked by the BIA for their comments,” he said.
Lund said the original plan would have seen the loss of some 34 parking spaces, a plan that was unacceptable to the businesses he has been in contact with.
BIA chairperson Jackie Fraser reiterated the support her business group has given to the expansion.
“This is a project for the entire community,” she said. “We have to bring life back to a badly neglected area of our downtown. We want to see this project celebrated by our community.” Fraser said the BIA is prepared to work to “overcome the parking challenges.”
Thomas Homer-Dixon and Sarah Wolfe welcomed the possibility for further debate on the design, but supported a refurbished library within walking distance for many residents.
“Scaling back doesn’t make sense,” Homer-Dixon said. “The community and township need this investment.”
Wolf raised the question of the importance of a downtown library and said it would be a simple resource for children seeking information throughout their school years and beyond. She noted the location would also assist low income families who often have to choose between spending money on food or books.
“Benefitting all people is an important objective,” she said. “Having an expanded library in our downtown core is essential.”
Board member Sheila Gamble, a former children’s librarian, acknowledged the county library system is expensive, with about 75 to 85 per cent of its operating budget going to wages.
She also acknowledged a considerable portion of the population, about 75 per cent, are not library users and said libraries have had to adapt with the way people seek out information, with the internet being used the most.
“Many users do not use the libraries,” she said. “Instead they download e-books. This is the future whether we like it or not.”
Board member Lou Maieron thanked the speakers, but acknowledged some of the concerns raised are not part of the board’s mandate.
“The library board’s obligation is to provide a building and books,” he said. “It’s not the board’s problem to deal with parking.”
Maieron supported a redesign of the project and was backed by board member Dennis Lever prior to the architect presenting the redesign, which was deferred to last week’s public meeting.
Lever said, the new plan addressed some concerns raised, but was not “something all will support.”
With the revised plan, the board was told any costs beyond the $5 million target would require the approval of county council. The board approved moving ahead with the project, which could see construction begin early next year.
White said the decision will allow the county to move ahead with its plans to refurbish the 14 libraries it operates.
“There’s no way we can satisfy all the wants and needs,” he said of the long-term plan for county libraries.
“One of the intentions was to put something in your downtown you could be proud of. Our job is to come in here, get our footprint for the library, renovate the library and get on with our plan. Our intention is to proceed with this.”
White also noted cost sharing agreements with Centre Wellington are in place and he thanked the public for its input.
The revised plan will go before county council for approval at its next meeting on Oct. 25.
