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CEO of the Thunder Bay Public Library, Richard Togman, says city administration’s suggestion to council regarding a new library is disappointing.
They have rejected plans for a new centralized library at the Inter-city Shopping Centre and recommend city council do the same.
A master facilities plan for the new library, released last month, outlines an option to stick to the status quo, keeping the four existing branches throughout the city.
“From the library’s perspective, it’s disappointing that administration is looking at this from the narrowest possible lens,” said Togman. “They’re looking at the worst-case scenario financial outcome.”
He says the library is not just a budget item, it is core to the community. It’s how the city can strengthen social bonds and improve economic outcomes for lower income families.
Togman says that moving to the new model is essential and less expensive than the status quo.
The other two options in the library’s 2024 Master Facilities Plan include building a new library, keeping Waverly and Mary JL Black branches, and the possible divestiture of the Brodie branch. The third option also includes closing the County Park branch.
“The city is basically turning its back on the library system, saying it’s not worth funding to modernize and provide these services to the community, and really not listening to community input over the last two years.”
Keeping all four branches open would require structural and accessibility work, rather than building a newer, centralized one. They are also experiencing a shortfall in spacing, having to turn children away from reading programs without enough room to host them.
Right now, they are under half the number of national standards for public library space.
“I hope administration would look wholistically at the project and examine the documented evidence we’ve built over the last two years.”
There are many factors administration has ignored, says Togman. Fifty-six local organizations, ranging from business and community groups to social service agencies and health organizations, all calling for the creation of the central library. A major public survey was also conducted, showing that citizens are willing to pay for this.
“We’re making the upstream investments that council keeps saying they want to make, and if this doesn’t look like one of those upstream investments – that helps youth, seniors and low-income families – then I don’t know what does.”
City council will debate the potential new library at Monday night’s meeting.
