Consider it another page in the history of the Carnegie libraries in Wellington County.
Late Monday night Wellington North council passed a resolution to declare the Mount Forest library property as surplus, though the decision was not unanimous.
The resolution bringing the matter to council also noted roughly $1-million worth of renovations are needed to make the building wheelchair accessible and to expand the facility to better meet the needs of the population. The idea would be to continue negotiations which would result in the building being sold to Wellington County for a ‘nominal fee’.
Councillor Ross Chaulk asked specifically what that nominal fee is.
“Two dollars,” responded Mayor Mike Broomhead.
Part of the negotiations, he said, is if at some time in the future the building is no longer to be used as a library, it would come back to the municipality for the same $2, “regardless of how much is spent on improvements. This is not the first time we’ve discussed this,” Broomhead added.
“I did not like it then either,” Chaulk responded.
It was later stated that while council has indeed discussed the issue of a sale previously, this was the first time the issue was discussed in an open council meeting. Previous discussions in open council merely reviewed the general accessibility issues and discussions with the county in regards to the renovations.
When asked if a public meeting will be held before consideration of a sale, Broomhead said there would be, just as there would be for any other public property. Clerk Lori Heinbuch pointed out that a notice of sale has yet to be published.
Broomhead said, like in the sale of any public property, anyone can appear as a delegation to comment. He pointed out that overall, the property needs significant repairs to make it accessible to the community and he contended it was unlikely the county would invest nearly $1-million in repairs for a building it does not own.
The county is moving to purchase the Carnegie libraries left in Wellington – which include locations in Minto and Centre Wellington – under the same terms offered to Wellington North. The idea is the county has the money to preserve them as heritage buildings.
Broomhead added the building must come into compliance to be wheelchair accessible if it stays open as a public building. As well, plans could be in the works for an addition, although a site plan has yet to be drafted.
He pointed out that even if Wellington North keeps the library, the work would still be needed to make the building accessible – except that it would be the local municipality picking up the cost.
He said the project is being spearheaded by county councillor Brad Whitcombe who wants to keep the heritage of the Carnegie libraries intact. But for the county to accomplish that, it would need to own the buildings.
Broomhead was adamant that the county still intends to move ahead with providing accessible library service in Mount Forest.
“If they do not renovate the current library, they will likely build a new building [at another location] in Mount Forest.”
He stressed that should the county purchase the building, it would remain a library as long as the county continued ownership.
After that point, it would revert to the municipality for the same $2, “regardless of the amount spent on the building.”
Whether it is through a renovated Carnegie library or a new building, he said “Either way we’ll have to have it wheelchair accessible.”
