Henderson Library to close for renovations

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This article was published 11/03/2010 (5777 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the city’s second-busiest public library prepares to close for renovations, officials and patrons alike hope the ends will justify the means.

Rick Walker, the city’s manager of library services, said the Henderson Library in East Kildonan is expected to close for renovations at the end of April and reopen in the fall.

“I couldn’t say definitively but that’s about the time it will close,” he said, adding the closure was announced prior to a final date being decided in order to give the public as much notice as possible.

“We’ll be doing a number of things to try to reduce the impact this loss of services will have during construction.”

Walker said the Munroe Library will be used to reduce any inconvenience as much as possible. Its hours will be increased to mirror those of the Henderson Library and the latter’s staff and some of its collection will be relocated to the Munroe branch as well.

“We’ll basically turn it into the Henderson Library,” Walker said.

“We’re going to be moving some of our programming for children and adults there as well.”

Additionally, the Henderson branch’s book drop-off is expected to remain open for at least the first month of construction. The city is also considering a proposal to keep some sort of front desk open, allowing patrons not only to return books but to pick up requested materials.

“We want to keep the public informed, all the way through this process,” Walker said.

Library visitor Regan Wolfrom, long a community activist in Elmwood and East Kildonan, said the closure will be an inconvenience but he believes the renovations are necessary.

Still, Wolfrom said he has some concerns about the impending closure. He wishes the city had taken the time to publicly consider other options before signing a $9 million, 20-year lease to keep the Henderson Library in Rossmere Shopping Centre.

Shindico, which owns the strip mall, proposed the lease in exchange for carrying out the renovations.

Last year, Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) suggested the city build the library a new home on its own land instead of signing the lease. He accused Mayor Sam Katz of wasting taxpayers’ dollars.

“The fact the idea was brought up by Coun. Wyatt after the negotiations had been completed does not lead me to believe that much thought had been given to other alternatives,” Wolfrom said.

“That being said, I’m much more concerned with the issues of community policing and youth recreation than renting versus owning, and I think that the end result will be perfectly fine.”

With the renovations set to begin soon, Wolfrom and his daughter are looking forward to that end result.

“The expanded space for reading is a good idea as the reading space is cramped right now,” he said.

Walker said the Henderson branch will increase from 12,000-sq. ft. to approximately 18,000-sq. ft. when the renovations are complete.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from the public they want more space,” he said.

The renovations will include the expansion of reading space and will allow the library’s collection to be spread out over a larger area.

“We’ll also be adding a tutorial room, a quiet space,” Walker said, noting students and new Canadians learning English often make use of such spaces in other libraries.

“We’ll also be adding a large adult programming room, which opens up a lot more programming possibilities for us and offers a place the community can book if they need a room.”

For more information about the Henderson Library, call 986-4314 or visit www.winnipeg.ca.

ryan.crocker@canstarnews.com