Ground broken on new Transcona Library

The sun was shining on the Park City on June 26 when local representatives from all three levels of government showed up to turn the sod on the new Transcona Library.

"This is a busy time for Transcona," mayor Brian Bowman said. "Part of building our city is investing in spaces that are important community places."

According to Bowman, the existing Transcona Library (111 Victoria Ave. W), which was built in 1961, was "in dire need of replacement" and that the new library (1 Transcona Blvd.) is "positioned to be a gathering place for years to come."

Bowman praised Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) for "tirelessly" advocating on behalf of the new library project.

"When council members collaborate, we can do great things," Bowman said.

Wyatt in turn thanked the mayor for his commitment to seeing the project, which has been in development since 2013, to fruition.

"This comes out of a vision to build something from the old public works yard," Wyatt said, adding the project has been a long time in the making.

"The new Transcona Library will be a fully-accessible building with flexible space for programming, study and leisure. The library will reflect the community’s priorities and changing needs," said Ed Cuddy, manager of library services with the City.

The new 13,500 square-foot library is double the space of the current library, will offer increased parking, and is designed to be part of a future indoor leisure centre. Construction of the more than $7.89-million project is set to begin later this month, and is expected to be complete in 2018. Cibinel Architecture Ltd. designed the library, which is being built by Boretta Construction. The site is expected to connect with the future Eastern Rapid Transit Corridor, and is linked in to local active transportation pathways.

"We need things like this with the growth and development we’re seeing as more new families move into the area," Wyatt said. "We are not just building for today, but planning the city of the future."

Situated at the corner of Transcona Boulevard and Plessis Road, James Teitsma, MLA for Radisson, said that the library  acts as a "symbolic bridge between old and new Transcona."

"This will be a very visible, large, well used public space," Teitsma said. "This is the start of some exciting new developments in the area. This is a real contrast with what was here before."

"It’s good for the people on the west side of Transcona to have some amenities like this that aren’t just in downtown Transcona," said Daniel Blaikie, MP for Elmwood-Transcona.

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