It has been one of the longest running issues in Guelph: building a new main library.
After over 20 years of debate, concern, false starts and flat-out pleading, on a Monday night in September with the council chambers' gallery filled with library supporters, Guelph City Council approved a $67 million library that will be part of the Baker Street redevelopment.
It didn't go smoothly and a motion to reduce the cost of the new library to $50 million failed by a narrow 7-6 vote. The final vote on the passed 9-4.
City staff and library staff will now begin work on a final design. When it actually gets built depends on the rest of the Baker Street redevelopment and firming up a partner for the overall project.
But no matter who the partner is, they have to be committed to the library as part of the project.
The city will be applying for a federal grant of up to $36.6 million for the project, but it won't be known until the new year if they get that grant.
A special tax levy to help pay for the library is on hold until the city sees what kind of grant money it can get from higher levels of government.
