Sechelt councillors want more information and a more detailed plan before making decisions about a proposal for renovations at the Sechelt Public Library.
Chief librarian Margaret Hodgins and library board chair Ann Hopkins presented the outline for the project at the Dec. 9 meeting of the District’s finance, culture and economic development committee.
The proposal grew out of discussions around how to use a Canada 150 grant the Library was awarded in June. The grant, of up to $50,000 (which would have to be matched from other sources), was originally for three separate renovation projects.
In their report to the committee, Hodgins and Hopkins wrote, “In looking closely at the individual projects, and requesting bids, it was determined that the initial plan was a Band-aid solution for the larger issue – after 20 years of serving up to 100,000 visitors per year, the library requires a bigger vision to meet the changing society it now serves.”
That vision involves a major change in the floor plan, based on designs created by the Sechelt firm Art.site, working pro-bono.
“The money could be better spent with a different approach that looks at the library in its entirety and takes a long-term view,” Hopkins told the committee. “We’d rather do it once and do it right.”
Hodgins said the plan developed by Art.site could go forward in four phases: the entrance, service desk and child/teen area; the staff workroom (which Hodgins notes has significant health and safety issues), computer area and information desk; the reading room (also known as the magazine area); and the new meeting/programming room.
If the project goes ahead, the biggest physical change would be moving the entrance from its present location off the main building lobby to the west facing outside wall.
Hodgins also told the committee that creating a new meeting/programming room would involve moving the archives.
“We currently have a room in the back of the library that is occupied by the Sechelt Community Archives. It’s overcrowded and needs a new home, as well, and we would really like that space,” Hodgins said.
Sechelt mayor Bruce Milne, who chaired the committee, was not ready to immediately back the plan.
“This is a classic case of grants driving decision making and ambition,” he said. “So we want to take it slowly.”
Phase one is estimated to cost about $250,000. The whole project has an estimated price tag of $462,000.
Hodgins said on top of the Canada 150 grant, the library foundation has around $100,000 available, and they’re hoping to get additional money from the Community Forest Legacy Fund, the District, and through fundraising.
Milne cautioned Hodgins and Hopkins that the likelihood of a community forest dividend for 2016 is slim and that the District itself has little money to spare.
In the end, the committee recommended staff work with the library board to bring back a report that “provides more clarity on the project.”
