Assisting Powell River Public Library in paying back its portion of the new library’s cost is a City of Powell River funding priority.
An approximately $300,000 annual grant for five years to the library topped the list of city council’s eight priorities for new funding applications to Powell River Community Forest (PRCF) .
Library board chair Rod Wiebe said the grant would ensure that the board’s $1.4 million contribution of the $4.9 million purchase price was paid on time. The yearly grant will cover the difference between results of board fundraising activities and the service on an annual loan, said Wiebe.
Though council signs off on all grants coming from PRCF, the community forest board has its own procedures for vetting and selecting projects it wishes to support. Wiebe requested that council provide a letter of support to the community forest board for the library board’s application.
Library board fundraising committee chair Chloe Smith said the committee has raised nearly $100,000 through providing sponsor-naming opportunities within the new facility.
“We are very focused on the $1.4 million,” said Smith. “We are exploring all options available to us and Community Forest is certainly one of those options.”
Smith said the fundraising committee will be assisted by Powell River Friends of the Library this year to help with fundraising.
Council’s priorities for 2017 add up to $1.05 million and, aside from the $300,000 for the library board, include $320,000 for a new cedar-shake roof on Dwight Hall; $175,000 for accessible playground equipment at Willingdon Beach Park; $100,000 for pre-design work on the northern seawalk section to Willingdon Beach; $50,000 for pre-design work on the southern seawalk section to Churchman’s Corner in Grief Point; $30,000 for park signage upgrades; $60,000 for playground equipment upgrades; and $20,000 for the Gibsons Beach boat ramp review.
