By CaroleAnn Leishman Do we need a new library in Powell River? In my opinion, yes.
The Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture commissioned a report in 2008 titled “Third Generation Public Libraries.” Research showed “in communities large and small, public libraries have a strong role in literacy and learning, innovation, community, and prosperity.”
There’s no doubt we need a library to maintain the programs our award-winning Powell River Public Library provides, access to books and information, the community gathering place. Do we need a new, larger library? Yes. Our aging public library has been bursting at the seams for 20 years or more to the point it cannot take in all the books that are offered by donation as there is no room. It cannot upgrade to the latest technology or provide more computer Internet access to users because there is no room.
City hall’s offices and meetings rooms are utilized to capacity and could very well use this lower space to reconfigure some of the offices and meeting rooms for increased efficiency of operations and greater accessibility for the public.
Does a new library make sense in a down economy? Yes, even more so. Giving free access to Internet for people who are under-employed and can’t afford Internet at home; access for all residents and their families to read as many books as they want; and offering programs for children to be social and learn to embrace literacy and storytelling can be nothing but beneficial for our society.
A library is part of the “sharing economy” which is something we are losing and, let’s face it, there aren’t too many things you can get for free anymore. A library is a place of solace and refuge that always makes you feel welcome and protected within the walls of knowledge, creativity, imagination and connection found there. Why wouldn’t we want that for our community for less than $20 a year on taxes?
The community consultation session on June 9 demonstrated that the majority of people who bothered to attend and state their opinions once again were largely in favour of Willingdon South as the location City of Powell River council had already chosen in July 2010. Let’s move forward to referendum on the budget question instead of spending $26,000 more per building to examine two more locations.
In reality, if the new library were to be built at Willingdon South then in a few years it would all be water under the bridge. Everyone in Powell River would be so proud of their beautiful library, it would be a community hub and tourist attraction in the space where the old civic arena once stood. I would be surprised if there were any people at all who would continue to wish we had “saved” the empty gravel lot and the graffiti wall because honestly, no greenspace will be harmed in the building of a library at Willingdon South. It would be an amazing enhancement to Willingdon Beach, the Marine Avenue downtown corridor and to the future of our community.
CaroleAnn Leishman is running as a candidate for City of Powell River council in the November 2014 election.
