by Imtiaz Taj I’m convinced that the right location for the new Powell River Public Library is the old arena site at the corner of Marine Avenue and Abbotsford Street.
At a rally recently, the Save Willingdon Beach (SWB) group handed out information which states the Willingdon site is not accessible nor is it central in terms of daily activities. So then why build a park there? There is already a park located not even a few hundred yards away, which is hardly used seven out of 12 months a year.
SWB also mentions that the true cultural hub for Powell River is Joyce Avenue, not Marine. Marine has art galleries, museums, restaurants, a radio station, bookstores, boutiques, hair salons, coffee houses, et cetera. Joyce is just a collection of big box stores, strip malls, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants, which are found in any other similar-sized community. The true cultural identity for us should be Marine for we are unique and not just another cookie-cutter community.
SWB erroneously says that the public did not get any input. City of Powell River council passed a motion to build a library at the old arena site on March 3, 2011. The elections were held in November and most of the councillors were re-elected. One of them became the mayor. It seems like the public had a chance at the democratic process and they chose wisely and had their say.
It also mentions that parking is limited at the Willingdon site. A library will help that since there will be a planned parking lot, designed to park more efficiently.
Doesn’t it make sense to use 10 per cent of that land to build a library which attracts over 10,000 visits every month? That, in turn, will bring thousands of visitors to the lot which currently sits as an eyesore and is of no real public use.
It will also allow the site to become a real park and will stop other developments and future threats from condo builders and commercial developers. In fact the best way to preserve this land as a park is by building a library with a green roof and lots of windows for the public to enjoy the area throughout the year, not only in fair weather conditions. And the current design does not hinder the view since it is the same level and sits very close to Marine.
The best homage we can give to the company that donated the land is a library. Isn’t this town built and sustained by paper? SWB is acting like this site is Powell River’s own promised land. A library is of public use and the council has every right to modify a covenant. A referendum is going to be held once the issue of funding is reached; the mayor has said that numerous times.
An attractive library at a beautifully landscaped seaside park will show the world how Powell River values literature, art, education and culture. Why build a state-of-the-art library and then hide it behind trees and buildings? You don’t buy an expensive necklace and then wear it under a turtleneck, do you?
Imtiaz Taj is the curator of Malaspina Art Society, managing artistic director of Ravens Call Theatre, vice-president of Powell River Council for Art, Culture and Heritage and is the host of the weekly talk show “Art Matters” on CJMP 90.1 FM, Powell River community radio.
