'It had become so embraced by the community': Winnipeg’s Little Red Library returns to Hugo Park

Little Red Library returns to Hugo Park following renovations after 2021 arson (Jamie Dowsett, CTV News)

Inspired by a picture of a red plywood ice-fishing shack on a snowy desolate lake, an architectural installation in the form of a glass-sided red cube that served as a little free library in Winnipeg is set to return after much-needed repairs.

Originally designed by David Penner Architect to be a hybrid warming hut / free library for the river trail in 2016, the Little Red Library eventually found a home at a river access point in Hugo Park, located off Wellington Crescent, for about five years.

“The idea was to sort of combine those two things where it was actually an inhabitable space like a warming hut but has a bookshelf and a library,” said Chris Wiebe, a board member for Storefront Manitoba, the organization that has taken on the repairs.

In May of 2021, the structure fell victim to arson and was severely damaged. A fundraising campaign was launched to fund the repairs.

“It had become so embraced by the community and that became apparent when we were meeting on-site assessing it,” said Wiebe. “We couldn’t go five minutes without getting stopped by a local passerby saying how much they loved it and wondered what was going to happen to it.”

The newly renovated structure is true to its roots, but has been built slightly more robust to withstand the elements.

“It’s still a red glass box that’s a little disorientating when you walk into it,” said Weibe.

“Spend a minute in there and walk out and your eyes have to adjust to the colours of the world again but that’s kind of the fun of it.”

The Little Red Library will be fully stocked with books once again and will be curated and maintained by a neighbourhood steward, who is an actual librarian.

Community members are encouraged to take, donate and trade books on site. There are no fees.

little red library“These little community spots have really become an important way for people to connect and share with each other, even if it’s not face-to-face or completely anonymous. It’s there and you know your neighbours are contributing and you’re contributing,” said Wiebe.

“It’s a strange way of connecting without actually seeing people, but I think it’s valuable in just doing that.”

The repairs cost about $10,000 and a good amount of volunteer time.

The structure has been reinstalled at its Hugo Park location where a small public celebration is planned for Saturday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m.