Thunder Bay Public Library prepares massive renovation to children's space at Waverley branch

Amid an "unprecedented demand for children's programming," the Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) is planning a massive renovation at the Waverley Resource Library in Port Arthur.

More than 10,000 additional children participated in programming at the Red River Road location last year compared to 2023, said TBPL CEO Richard Togman.  

"All of our programs for kids are usually booked up through pre-registration weeks ahead of time, and so we're clearly not meeting community demand," Togman said.

On Monday, the library announced a massive overhaul to create a 12,000 square-foot Children's Library in the building's lower level, as part of an ongoing multi-million dollar project to renovate the Waverley branch.

"We need to fix some of the structural features, for example, an issue with the foundation that potentially can affect the children's area if it's not fixed proactively soon," Togman said. 

The extra space is being created by the upcoming departure of Anishinabek Employment and Training Services; the organization is vacating both the Waverley and Brodie libraries at the end of May. 

Having more room means being able to offer more programming, seating areas, community meeting rooms and dynamic play spaces, Togman explained.

He attributes the rising demands for the library as a symptom of people's growing desire for community connection, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When we look at the amount of community spaces available and especially ones that are safe and educational and really have that good feeling for kids and families, the library is one of the first places people come," said Togman.

Meanwhile, as the cost of living continues to climb, being able to access free materials and programming is a game changer for many individuals and families, he added.

"People are looking at their pocketbooks and saying, 'well, do I have the money to spend on extracurriculars? Am I going to pay to take my kids to different programming, or take advantage of what my taxpayer dollars already provide in high-quality, free programming at the library?'"

While the Children's Library project is still in the design and costing phase, Togman said the City of Thunder Bay is pitching in some money set aside in 2018 to renovate the Waverley branch.

Funds from the Friends of the Thunder Bay Public Library 50/50 lottery are also coming into play.

"We can't imagine a better use for these funds than in support of a new space for children's programs and books," said Fran Duke, president of the Friends of Thunder Bay Public Library, in a news release issued Monday.