More partners are coming to the table when it comes to the long-awaited redevelopment of the Grand Trunk site.
Dan Mathieson, chair of the ad hoc Grand Trunk renewal committee, and Emily Robson, corporate initiatives lead, will facilitate a discussion between the University of Waterloo and the YMCA of Three Rivers, stakeholders in the Grand Trunk’s redevelopment, on including a new library at the site.
“I think it's foundational for them to understand amongst themselves, how they would interact and what they use in a building,” Mathieson explained. “And then from that, you can find some commonalities around certain spaces. And then we'll know whether it's 60,000 square feet just for a library or 25, and commonalities represent another 25 … How much of that building could they commonly use amongst themselves?”
Mathieson also said that these stakeholders, library included, are the kinds of partners most likely to get provincial and federal grants and interest from the community when it comes time to fundraise.
Krista Robinson, CEO of the Stratford Public Library, advocated for including a new library at the site during Monday evening’s committee meeting, a similar presentation she gave at a previous city council meeting.
She again highlighted the severe space deficit the library has. The Stratford library only has 12,472 square feet, which is roughly a third of what a library servicing a city of Stratford’s population should have.
The most recent study commissioned by the library recommends a new facility that’s roughly 44,000 to 66,000 square feet, which would be enough space for the next 20 to 25 years, based on projections.
Robinson clarified that within that total recommendation there is a framework as to how that space should be utilized, after Franklin Famme, a committee member, asked about shared space.
There is a percentage of space that needs to be devoted to collections, for instance.
Robinson said that the library would also be open to a new build on the Grand Trunk site, if that would meet its needs.
Mathieson said that the discussion with the YMCA will likely be had in the next 30 days, so that an update and report can be brought back to the committee’s next meeting.
