Capital Projects like new libraries, have many different sources of funding. The property tax base is only one.
Development charges are another source. So is the gas tax and the federal and provincial governments. The Friends of the Guelph Public Library have already begun a fundraising effort.
The library does have money to advance the new main library to a point where it is “project ready”. When this is completed in a year or two, we will be in a position to shop it to the province and the federal government for granting opportunities.
The proposed project also includes a significant residential, commercial, recreational and parking component. The municipality does not have the in house expertise or resources to undertake such an project on it’s own.
One idea is to have the private sector develop the site with the City being a tenant for the library and parking structures. There is also talk of creating a Downtown Development Corporation to manage the project.
The Baker St parking lot is an underutilized asset owned by the City. A new project such as a mixed use library/residential/commercial could be a catalyst for further development in and around the downtown while at the same time expanding the tax base.
The existing building that the Main Branch Library occupies has considerable maintenance, accessibility, capacity, contamination and life cycle issues. An assessment was conducted concluding the current site was unsuitable. After a very thorough examination of over 30 sites throughout the community, the Baker St parking lot was determined to be the best location.
A full listing of reports prepared for the library board are availble by clicking here.
The Provincial Places to Grow legislation has targeted Guelph with an additional 50,000 or so residents over the next 25 years. 40% of this growth will occur within our built boundary. Just as Guelph has planned for this growth with our water/waste water, energy, transit, garbage and emergency services, we need to do the same for our library services.
Staff and the Library Board had previously recommended the purchase of the old Post Office on Wyndham St. as a site for a new main branch library.
This was rejected by the Council of the day. ian