A burst pipe on the top floor resulted in flooding and led to the closure of the Harriston library branch on Dec. 13.
As of deadline, library officials were unsure of when the branch would reopen.
On Dec. 17, Wellington County chief librarian Murray McCabe said contractors have been on the job since last Friday “drying things out,” and “county staff are on-site assessing what needs to be done next.”
Just before 4pm on Dec. 13, library officials issued a press release indicating the branch would be “closed temporarily due to a small flood.”
Earlier in the day, a sprinkler pipe burst in on the top floor of the building, flooding the local history area of the branch. While the artifacts were not damaged, water rushed through the floor of the history room and poured down the fire stairs to the basement.
McCabe said most of the damage was contained to areas other than the main library and he was hopeful that part of the building would be re-opened by Jan. 2, if not before the holidays.
Other areas, such as the local history area, where the laminate floor “will likely have to be replaced,” may be closed longer, he added.
McCabe said the damage would have been worse if the pipe had burst when the building was closed.
“The library staff were on site right then when it happened and the volunteer firefighters were there within minutes and they did an excellent job,” said McCabe.
“They moved all sorts of books so the books didn’t get damaged. If it had happened when nobody was in the building it would have been a real mess.”
Willa Wick of the Harriston Historical Society also credited firefighters and library staff for helping to save the items on display.
“Things didn’t get wet because of the quick response of our volunteer fire department,” Wick stated, noting branch supervisor Brooke McLean contacted her as soon as the flooding was discovered.
“When I got in there were men on mops and four-foot long-squeegies,” said Wick. “The rest of the guys helped me move books and pictures into our store room.”
McCabe said it is “not clear” what caused the pipe to burst.
Library materials can be renewed online during the closure. For information go to wellington.ca/Library.
