Regina Public Library says building new central location could cost $125M
CBC
Regina has begun examining the future of the city's central library and whether it would be better to fix it and bring it up to code, or tear it down and start over.
Discussion on the topic was the focus of the fourth and final day of public meetings held by the city' catalyst committee.
Officials with Regina Public Library (RPL) led a presentation that highlighted why the organization's board voted to endorse tearing the current central library down and building a new facility in its place.
Thursday's meeting was dominated by members of the public calling for the city to preserve the current facility as it is, while carrying out much needed repairs.
The catalyst committee now has the unenviable task of balancing those competing voices as it makes a recommendation to city council.
The committee has been tasked by Regina city council with overseeing five major projects that could shape the city's downtown core.
They include a new aquatic facility, a replacement for the Brandt Centre, a possible baseball stadium, an outdoor soccer field and the modernization of the central library. The committee draws its name from the belief that the projects would be catalysts for growth, development and private funding in Regina.
It's being co-chaired by Coun. Bob Hawkins and Tim Reid, CEO of Regina Exhibition Association Limited.
On Thursday, the public heard that the 60-year-old central library is out of date. While it was state of the art when built in 1962, it is out of date, the presentation said.
The library was built to to serve a population of 110,000. Regina's population in the 2021 census was more than double that at 249,000 people.
The facility is also in desperate need of repair. Among the issues that need to be addressed are an inadequate heating system and aging electrical infrastructure.
LISTEN| Regina Public Library board votes to tear down and build new building downtown
A presentation made to council earlier this year highlighted that the building's roof is only "set on top" of the walls and "is not reinforced." The concrete in the building is also deteriorating, the ceiling has asbestos and there are other unspecified safety issues. Some windows are not insulated and many are installed backwards.
Over the past decade the library has spent $3.2 million on necessary building maintenance and the number of issues continue to grow, officials with the public library said on Thursday.
