Third library branch possible
BARRIE - Just as construction is set to begin on Barrie’s second library, some city officials are already working on a third.
Ward 7 Coun. John Brassard and Ward 6 Coun. Michael Prowse began pushing for a book pick-up/drop-off service at the Holly Recreation Centre last summer. Reacting to demand they began thinking outside the box, even as the Barrie Public Library Board worked on its strategic plan, which includes a third location.
“Residents aren’t looking for the Taj Mahal of libraries. They just want service that’s convenient. They want a place to take their kids to take out a book, read one to them or have them participate in story time. Seniors want a place to read daily (newspapers) or periodicals or access the Internet without having to go downtown or across town,” said Brassard.
“There are almost 30,000 people that are underserviced in southwest Barrie and there is a real opportunity to find a cost-effective way of getting something they really want, library services.”
Brassard said expanding the city’s newest recreation centre could be expensive. “The fact is the Holly CC wasn’t built to accommodate a library, so there will be costly issues that need to be resolved, like significant electrical upgrades and rerouting sewer lines,” he said.
“A model that has worked in other municipalities including London and York Region which has proven less costly is putting a library branch in a plaza where there is high traffic and high visibility.
“Let’s say for example we were to take advantage of existing commercial space and put a satellite branch in the plaza at Mapleton and Essa roads, you’re guaranteed higher than normal pedestrian volume because the Food Basics store is the fourth busiest Food Basics in Ontario, in addition to the traffic created by other businesses in that plaza.”
Brassard said a design study to alter the rec centre has yet to be presented to council, and a meeting regarding commercial space alternatives has been scheduled for later this week.
lwatt@simcoe.com