NEWS RELEASE
GUELPH PUBLIC LIBRARY
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At their Oct. 17, meeting, the Board of Directors of the Guelph Public Library endorsed the strategy detailed in the City of Guelph’s proposed 2018 Capital Budget Plan.
“This plan sets the direction to move from talk to construction,” said Guelph Public Library CEO Steven Kraft. “It is built on a process and schedule that works in the mutual interest of the city and the library. I am confident that this plan will deliver a facility that the whole city will be proud of.”
Under this plan, the library will continue to work with consulting firm KPMG to deliver the business case for a new main library to Council in February. In 2019, $1.9 million has been allocated for the design stage of a new main library, with a further $56 million committed to construction in 2020.
The board took the step of affirming this plan and the process that had been collaboratively developed with the city. In particular, there are numerous factors that have aligned to assure the Board’s commitment to this plan. These are:
- The commitment of City Council and the Library Board of Directors to formally meet during the execution of this plan.
- City and library senior management teams have jointly developed terms of reference for the project’s execution.
- The process and plan of the schedule is in place, including the potential to accelerate the design phase.
- The commitment by both the city and the library for public engagement in all phases of the project will ensure that the new main library reflects our community’s needs now and into the future.
“Everyone recognizes the need to get this right,” stated Guelph Public Library Board Chair Katie Saunders. “A new downtown library will be a catalyst for downtown renewal, and this plan ensures that the people of Guelph will get the library they deserve.”
The board encourages all interested parties to attend the City’s Budget Meeting on Oct. 26, 2017. Delegations can be made at this meeting, if the city clerk’s office is contacted at [email protected] by the morning of Friday, Oct. 20, 2017.
The board also invites everyone to visit the Friends of the Guelph Public Library Giant Book Sale this weekend. The friends continue to be strong supporters of a new main library for Guelph.
The Guelph Public Library is one of the oldest free public libraries in Ontario with historic roots in the city since 1883. Over 1,500 people use the library every day and check out over two million resources annually. The library is the most widely used recreational facility in Guelph with five satellite branches, a Bookmobile and the main library.
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