Thunder Bay Waverley Library - (File photo)

The Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) is coming to city council with a request for more funding to go towards a library branch at the Intercity Mall.

Red River Ward Councillor and library board member Michael Zussino has put forward a memorandum to bring the item back up at council.

The councillor is requesting that council look at adjusting the library master facilities plan, making the following changes:

• Termination of the lease for the County Park Branch (County Fair Mall location)
• Maintaining the existing library-owned branches of Mary J.L. Black, Waverley Library and Brodie Resource Library
• Addition of capital investment in a new location at Intercity Shopping Centre via a lease for an approximately 24,000 square foot space (different location than previously presented)

The plan previously presented to council looked to build towards a centralized model of library services that included divestment of some library locations.

City council did not support the move to a centralized model.

The library has continued to look at potential options for establishing a location at Intercity Mall, leading to the establishment of a draft offer for a lease.

According to the library, the mall is willing to provide financial support for some of the costs associated with updating and retrofitting the available 24,000 sq ft space.

The current estimate for the cost of the new proposed project is $5.5 million.

Zussino’s memorandum states that the landlord has committed to contributing $1.375 million or 25 per cent of the project cost, with the library and city each contributing $2,062,500 as a one-time cost.

The hope is that a previous $1.4 million commitment towards improvements at Waverly Resource Library from council in 2017, can be used for the city’s portion of the cost for the new project.

The memorandum states that $1,339,000 remains unspent from that commitment.

The councillor recommends that the remaining $723,500 contribution from the city be funded from Renew Thunder Bay.

“As a member of the Thunder Bay Public Library Board, I appreciate this opportunity to re-examine the future plans for this important community asset,” said Zussino in the memorandum. “I support growth in our city and see the partnership with Intercity Mall as a major opportunity to foster growth in the Intercity business district without impacting the downtown cores and their libraries.”

“While the financial cost is not insignificant, I believe strongly in this concept as a community win. This is a rare and unique opportunity where we can leverage private sector dollars to invest in public infrastructure and at the same time contribute to the growth and success of a major business hub and tax-generating district.”

The draft lease is for 25 years.

The project is coming to city council for debate on April 28.

If approved, construction is expected to start in 2026.