A committee for a library, art gallery and community hub project in Bright’s Grove is expected to form in November.
A committee for a library, art gallery and community hub project in Bright’s Grove is expected to form in November.
Sarnia city council unanimously approved the terms of reference for the seven-person committee, and directed staff to start recruiting so people can be appointed at the next scheduled council meeting after the Oct. 24 election.
Project propose Kirsten Kilner Holmes of Gallery in the Grove said she’s pleased to see progress.
“It’s exactly what we were looking for staff to recommend and council to approve,” she said.
Councilors and city staff during this week’s public council meeting mentioned an unnamed donor has offered money for the project, but noted accepting that gift has to wait until the committee forms at the Nov. 21 council meeting because of city policy.
“The whole point of the committee is they can be dealing with these issues and have it moving forward,” said acting chief administrator Michelle Alton, noting policy also requires donations of more than $100,000 be approved by council.
“We’re still in conversation with the donor,” Kilner Holmes said after some councilors expressed fears foot-dragging could lead to the donor walking away.
“They were very pleased to see council to continue to move forward on the project,” Kilner Holmes said. “That’s about all I can say at this point.”
A group of project proponents that includes Kilner Homes has offered to raise $1 million towards the expansion city staff have estimated could cost $5 million to $8 million.
city council in May approved putting the upgrade on the list of capital projects for the city to tackle within 10 years.
With the art gallery already contributing $10,000 towards architectural drawings for the proposed 650-metre expansion to Wildwood Park’s Faethorne House – home to the gallery and the current Bright’s Grove library branch – Kilner Holmes said she’s hopeful the project starts within two years.
“By getting this capital campaign and by raising this money, I feel like that’s what should happen,” she said.
A smaller expansion was recommended in a 2017 Library Space and Service Needs study, but the larger expansion will bring the building nearly in line with the bare minimum Administrators of Rural and Urban Public Libraries of Ontario standards (ARUPLO) for large-volume libraries like Bright’s Grove’s, an official with the County of Lambton, which operates libraries in municipally owned buildings, has said.
The expansion will bring the Bright’s Grove hub to 836 square meters. The ARUPLO recommendation is 929.
A general expansion for space and accessibility at the site has been eyed for decades, Kilner Holmes has said.
Sarnia council in May also narrowly voted to approve $350,000 from reserves for detailed design work staff have estimated will take six to nine months to complete.
Opposition on council has hinged on fears donor support for the project won’t materialize.
This initial donation offer is evidence support exists, Kilner Holmes said, noting she hopes to be one of the three community members at large appointed to the committee in November.
Others include two from city council and two county library staff, a city report says.
“We’re confident that we have the support of a lot of people,” Kilner Holmes said. “We know that.”