City report outlines multi-million-dollar options to repair West Kildonan Library
A report at Winnipeg City Hall says repairs at West Kildonan Library will cost millions of dollars, without money earmarked to make the necessary changes.
Upgrades needed include a new elevator to improve accessibility, a new reading garden and literacy playground.
Christine Frig has been coming to the West Kildonan Library for most of her life.
She still brings her daughter to the library, a place she says holds a big piece of her heart.
"A lot of hours spent here, a lot of good memories, a lot of learning and growing and bettering myself,” she told CTV News Winnipeg.
Following pushback, including rallies from the public two years ago, city council decided against plans to close down the library and move it to Garden City.
But the building is old and needs millions of dollars worth of upgrades. A new feasibility study released at city hall lists three potential options with cost estimates.
The first comes with a $6.3 million price tag to address code, safety and critical accessibility issues.
Option two would cost $7.5 million. It includes an addition for a more accessible elevator, a new service desk, tutorial rooms, and literacy playground.
The third and most expensive would run the city $10.7 million. That would see a 24,000 square-foot expansion for programming, the elevator, moving the children's area to the main floor, plus a new reading garden, meeting room and computer area.
“Everybody has a to-do list, whether it's their house or their apartment of what they want to do, need to do and must do, and so this gives us a path,” said Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort-Rouge East Fort Garry).
The report does not outline recommendations for a funding source for the upgrades, unlike a new library planned for northwest Winnipeg, which was listed in the recent budget.
"There's a lot of demand for library service there where there's not currently one, so that's my priority,” said Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham.
Area councillor Ross Eadie, who got the ball rolling on the library’s feasibility study, said now that there are cost estimates for upgrades, he wants to settle on an option and push other levels of government for help.
“Right now, it's at its end of life. If there's any disasters, it would have to close,” he said.
The West Kildonan Library was given heritage protection from the city's property committee in January 2023.
If council does vote for one of the options and finds the money, design work would need to be done to firm up costs even more, so the estimates could still change.
Following that, more detailed design and construction plans would need to be hammered out.
Still, Harriet Zaidman with Friends of West Kildonan Library, the group that rallied to save the library, says it’s worth preserving.
“The library is a mainstay of the community. It's been here since 1967. It is very busy.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.