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Millennium Library to reopen with increased security after deadly stabbing

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Winnipeg's Millennium Library is set to fully reopen next week with some added interim security measures, including metal detectors and police officers on-site.

In a release Wednesday, the city announced the library will reopen on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023. The library was closed after the fatal stabbing of Tyree Cayer on Dec. 11.

The library began a partial reopen in late December for holds, pickup and return services only.

“Millennium Library is an important community facility that draws people downtown to discover, learn, create, and connect,” Mayor Scott Gillingham said in a news release. “It’s important we reopen the library now and reestablish the services that are valued by so many visitors."

With the reopening comes beefed-up security measures. The city said effective Monday, there will be a controlled entrance into the library including a walk-through metal detector.

Along with this, the city said it will have two Winnipeg Police Service officers on site during operating hours, as well as four security guards in the library staffing the metal detector and patrolling.

The city said the Downtown Community Safety Partnership will also patrol around the library, in the lobby and the park, using the former gift shop as a base.

The city said the Community Connections space in the lobby of the library will remain closed until further notice.

The security measures are expected to remain in place while the city waits to hear the results of a comprehensive risk assessment and security audit that was launched this week. The city said, acting as a consultant, GardaWorld will determine areas of risk and make recommendations on security measures to mitigate it.

"The recommendations will attempt to strike a balance between safety and security while ensuring that the library remains an accessible, welcoming environment for all users," the city said in its news release.

The security measures in place will be evaluated as a part of the audit, the city said.

CTV News will update this story. 

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