THUNDER BAY – The overhaul of the Waverley Resource Library could happen sooner than expected.
Thunder Bay city council on Monday is scheduled to debate adding the renovation of the Red River Road branch of the Thunder Bay Public Library, originally planned for 2019 or 2020, to next year’s budget deliberations.
Administration is recommending city coffers contribute $1.9 million towards the estimated project price tag of $5.7 million, contingent upon the library securing the balance of funding from other sources.
The renovations would see the street side of the building get a new glass face while the interior work would include a new elevator to increase accessibility as well as a reconfiguration to maximize space.
John Pateman, chief executive officer and chief librarian of Thunder Bay Public Library, said the plans would allow the original entrance to be reopened and the elevator would provide easy access to all three floors. The library was built in 1951 and renovated about 20 years later, adding an accessible entrance to the building.
“The library is really transforming from a standalone public library to this notion of a community hub,” Pateman said. “The community hub means we’re going to create space within the library for a whole range of different activities, for partner organizations to come in.”
The evolving role of the public library in the community means the public’s expectations are different than they were even a decade ago, with Waverley already hosting a maker space and business incubator.
“We need to stay relevant and we need to meet community needs,” Pateman said.
“The needs used to be books, basically people just wanted to borrow books. Now they want information, they want to use the library as a meeting space, they want to use it for performances, for inspiration to make stuff. We have to make the space and make the changes to enable that.”
Coun. Joe Virdiramo, who sits on the public library board, is bringing the resolution forward to council.
The last major library project, the new Mary J.L. Black branch which opened in 2011, is in Virdiramo’s Westfort ward and he said he frequently hears comments about the importance of the library.
“With the onslaught of the internet and social media, people might think that these facilities may not be in vogue at this time,” Virdiramo said. “But what we’re finding is that the facilities are being used more and more and more. We’re surprised by that.”
Pateman said the modernization of the exterior will help the library fit in with the vibrant entertainment area in the north downtown core.
“I think the remarkable thing is the look of the building will be completely different. We think it will attract new and different people to the library because it will have that different appeal,” Pateman said on Thursday.
“We want very much to be part of this cultural quarter that’s developing in this part of the city.”
