Plans for a public consultation on proposed renovations to the library branch here have been postponed, pending the hiring of an architect.
A meeting to gather public input was originally planned for May 3, however Wellington County chief librarian Murray McCabe said the library board wanted to have an architect in place first – and the process had been slowed by the cancellation of the March board meeting due to inclement weather.
“Having an architect hired will allow the chosen firm to hear first hand from residents about their ideas for a renovated library building,” McCabe told the Advertiser in an April 23 email.
Two firms have been asked to submit proposals for the project: Grinham Architects of Guelph and VG Architects of Brantford. Both firms have successfully tackled other Carnegie library projects in the county, McCabe notes; Grinham handled the Elora library project and VG worked on the Fergus building.
McCabe anticipates architects will be chosen in May and a date for a public meet and greet at the library will be announced as soon as selection is complete.
The design process incorporating the various building requirements will take place from July to October, with construction due to start in December or January, and completion expected in the fall of 2015.
Wellington County council has budgeted $3 million for renovations to the branch.
Restoration of a long-unused theatre on the upper level of the building is among the possibilities under consideration, but McCabe has indicated accessibility requirements will be a significant element of the project.
