New Building Project

WANT EVEN MORE INFORMATION?  CHECK OUT newlibrary.ca.

 Crowded, musty space?  We're finished with that.  Impossibly hot premises on summer days?  Gone.  Too small collections bursting at the seams?  The end.  Inadequate program spaces?  Nevermore.  Is this really all there is to the kids’ section?  No reason to ask that anymore.  Line-ups for computers?  Historical.  Looking around for a comfortable, quiet place to just read a book?  Found one, no problem.  OK, so I got my wheelchair in the door but where do I go now?  Anywhere you want! 

That's right, Powell River.  It's time for a new Library!

In April, 2009 the Board of Trustees of the Library appointed a small group to work on the initial phases of the project.  They are Pamela Brown (you probably know her as “Brownie”) retired from our Library Staff; Trustees Natalie Kreter, Real Sigouin and Jon Van Oostveen, Dave Douglas, the City's Director of Financial Services and  Charlie Kregel, Chief Librarian here at the Library.

The City has identified a new library as a priority in its Strategic Plan,  City Staff have reported on their investigation of possible sites and Council decided on March 3, 2011 that its preferred site for a new library is the Old Arena Site, also known as Willingdon South.  This waterfront site is at the north end of the downtown corridor and borders Willingdon Beach Park. For many years this site was the home of one of the most important community gathering spaces in Powell River, a community-built arena.  Locating the new library here recognizes and continues this important history as well as the traditional use of this site for an important community cultural function.

Now the New Library Committee is hard at work again--we have hired MHPM Project Management, Inc. to manage the design process for the new Library.  Our intent is to work collaboratively with the community to complete the design.  Architectural firms Miller Hull and Public Design + Communication are our design team and after working with the community to develop the design, we expect to release the final design concept and cost information to the public in May.    Once we have that design we'll developing a funding strategy for the new library.

• Read the Regional Board's statement on the new Library.
• Read a chronology of the public planning process to date.
• Read the Request for Proposals for architectural services to produce a design concept.
• Read the Request for Proposal for project management services for the new Library design.
• Read the City Staff report to Council recommending a new Library location.
• Read the Library Board's recommendation for a new Library
• Read our initial funding strategy for the new Library
• Read an update on the work of the new Library committee
• Read the Library needs assessment report
• Read the new Library site selection report
• Read the results of the general survey
• Get a list of frequently asked questions about a new Library
• See the results of the Texada Island public meeting
• See the results of the Powell River public meeting
• See the results of our random telephone survey
• Read a letter to Mayor and Council from the Library Board about Council's choice of the Old Arena Site for the new Library.