AUDIO – City of Powell River council went around and around the contentious new library issue at a recent committee-of-the-whole meeting, without a clear outcome.
Council had asked Powell River Public Library board to give a presentation on its design concept report, which outlines the design and estimated cost of $9.5 million for a new library, located at the old arena site, an empty lot on the corner of Marine Avenue and Abbotsford Street.
Charlie Kregel, chief librarian, showed a promotional video of the new library design, then explained what the report was. He encapsulated the history of the new library campaign, documenting all the public consultation that had been carried out.
Kregel said the new library is a great opportunity for Powell River, to improve literacy and education, helping the workforce improve and grow, to revitalize the historic Marine Avenue business corridor and to build community. “It’s an opportunity for us to make a statement about who we are, what we value,” he said. “If we miss this opportunity in favour of short-term thinking or limited vision or sniping at each other about things that aren’t really going to be important in the long run, we may not have another.”
The board encourages council to continue to embrace the library plan, Kregel said, “get behind our fundraising efforts and work with us to make this new library happen.”
After his presentation, councillors gave their individual views, which for the most part had not changed since the last committee-of-the-whole meeting. Their remarks were frequently punctuated with either disparaging remarks or applause from people in the audience.
Councillors Maggie Hathaway and Myrna Leishman support a referendum. Councillors Jim Palm, Russell Brewer and Debbie Dee support the library board’s process and the location.
While he said council should be clear in stating it wants to see the process completed, Councillor Chris McNaughton also said he wanted the board to investigate the feasibility of using the former Brick store as an alternative location.
Kregel replied that the board needed to raise funds for a particular library at a particular location. “We’re not particularly interested at this point in time in going out to investigate other opportunities, but if someone comes to us with a great opportunity, we’ll certainly listen to what they have to say,” he said. “It’s very important if we’re going to go raise money now, that council get behind us, because otherwise there isn’t a whole lot we can do.”
Mayor Dave Formosa said he wanted to approach Powell River Regional District to see if the directors would consider providing funding for the library board to investigate other options. He said he was concerned if the issue went to referendum, it would fail and the community would lose the opportunity. “I think we need to have options, because if we take this to referendum, I do not want to see the library fail,” he said. “Let’s see if we can get some more finances, if there’s other opportunities. Let’s let the library board work at where the second choice might me, or maybe a third choice. Put it to the people on this one and let them decide.”
Interested readers can listen to the entire discussion here.
SIDEBAR
Library motion
Councillor Debbie Dee gave a notice of motion at a special council meeting held on Wednesday, June 27. Dee said she plans on bringing the motion forward at the July 5 council meeting.
“I thought what I heard loud and clear was that people wanted a commitment to a referendum,” she said. “My motion will have a commitment to a referendum, whether or not the funding is secured.”
Her motion also asks people to allow the process to continue, Dee added. “At the end, before we make a decision on whether or not to build the library at the chosen location, we have a referendum.”
