Fort Garry Library is at risk

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/02/2020 (2046 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s “I Love to Read” month. It’s the perfect time to help Manitoba children foster a love of reading and to share in the joy of literacy.

One of the best places to sit down with a good book in our community is the Fort Garry Public Library. Our library also provides many other services in addition to its collection of books. It is a safe space for students to study, for children to learn to read, and for seniors to make connections.

However, this may not be the case for much longer. Because of the government’s steep cuts to municipalities, the City of Winnipeg is facing some tough choices. The City’s 2020 operating and capital budget has proposed closing three libraries, including ours here in Fort Garry.

Under this provincial government, we have lost our emergency room, our rehabilitation and physiotherapy clinic and our blood and medical test lab, and now, we may lose our library. In 2014, the library was renovated to meet the demands of our growing community. 

For seniors, the library serves as an informal, but vital, location for social connection, cognition and, because many walk to the library, even physical exercise. It is one of the most frequented branches by children and youth in the city, as evidenced by their popular summer reading program.

Resources are available in various languages and the library acts a community space, making it a valuable place for newcomers to Winnipeg.

These services, and a valuable gathering space, will be lost if the Fort Garry Library becomes the next casualty of the government’s neverending belt tightening. Our library is one of only two libraries in the south end, and the only one near the rapid transit line, making it accessible to folks without vehicles.

Families rely on the programs run out of our library. For many, free programs are the only opportunity for children and their families to participate in recreational activities or to come together with the community.

We cannot afford to lose any more services vital to south Winnipeg.It brings me hope to see the community rallying together to protect one of our most valuable public spaces. I have seen the petition to save the Fort Garry Library circulating online, and I applaud all those who are taking an active role in our community. 

What does the Fort Garry Library mean to you? Please feel encouraged get in touch with my office at 202-1383 Pembina Hwy., or contact us at 204-421-4241 or by email at mark.wasyliw@yourmanitoba.ca

Mark Wasyliw
Fort Garry MLA constituency report

Mark Wasyliw is the independent MLA for Fort Garry.

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