City plans review of West Kildonan Library’s condition, needed upgrades

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This article was published 27/12/2022 (1027 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Amid a call to declare it a heritage structure, the West Kildonan Library will be assessed to determine how to it can be updated to meet modern standards.

A request for proposals seeks a consultant to review the condition of the building, which was constructed in 1967 at 365 Jefferson Ave. The work comes after patrons fought in May to ensure the building kept operating as a library.

A key supporter hopes the review will ensure the facility is updated and preserved.

“We remain cautiously optimistic that this is the city’s step to coming up with a redevelopment strategy of the existing site at 365 Jefferson because we know it’s a fantastic space…. We know it’s a beloved library, we know it’s very well used,” said Daniel Guenther, co-chair of the Friends of West Kildonan Library.

The review is expected to create a list of improvements needed to update the facility, including meeting all current building codes. The consultant will also be tasked with determining a cost estimate to complete the work.

However, Guenther said the group is urging the city to provide clear timelines on when upgrades will be completed.

“We’re concerned (without that)… this might be just pushing this project many, many more years down the line,” he said.

The library was thrust into the spotlight due to a fight over its future earlier this year. At one point, about 150 residents took part in a rally to continue operations at the current site. A controversial city proposal had called for the library to be relocated more than two kilometres away to a leased 15,000-square-foot space inside Garden City Shopping Centre.

Community members argued the relocation would remove a cherished community hub and replace it with a darker, privately owned space located further from its current patrons. Following the backlash, council voted against the move.

“The community has made it very loud and clear that this library is important to them and is important at the current location,” Guenther said.

“And we’ve been told, compared to many other city buildings in the city portfolio, this is actually a newer building and in much better condition than most other city assets, so there’s no reason why this building can’t be properly rehabilitated and modernized for the modern library services.”

Meanwhile, the city is also considering a call to add the library to its list of historical resources, which would protect the building from demolition. Council’s property and development committee will soon consider that change.

A report on the potential heritage designation deems the library an “excellent example of the International Style, a modern architectural movement of the post-World War II era that lasted into the late 1960s.” The report also states the library “appears to be in good structural condition.”

Guenther said the heritage designation is warranted.

“We saw and we heard from people this building is a historical landmark for our community. This is where they have gone for generations…. This is a very important building for (the) community. It needs to be protected as such,” he said.

In an email, city spokesman Adam Campbell said the city isn’t aware of any safety risks related to the building’s current state.

“We are not aware of any damages or building system conditions that represent an immediate risk to delivering services at the library; however, the purpose of the (request for proposals) is to gain an updated assessment of the building’s condition to further assess such risk. The study will assist with determining future plans and timelines for the building,” wrote Campbell.

The RFP states the aging building needs “a comprehensive infrastructure redevelopment to provide the target level of service.”

Campbell referred questions about that statement to a 2012 city report, which notes the library requires flooring, window, safety system and roof upgrades, as well as accessibility changes and more space.

“This two-floor facility is crowded and presents numerous spatial challenges for the development and delivery of library service. While the building does have an elevator, there is limited accessibility to washrooms, and movement in the branch is restricted,” the report notes.

Coun. John Orlikow, the head of council’s community services committee, said there’s no current estimate of how much it would cost to update the facility.

“Council’s direction was to keep (the library) and we need to see how much it would cost to get it up to standard,” said Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) Once those numbers come in, we’ll have to see where the money’s coming from,” he said.

The city expects to award the review contract by March 23.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga