Duane Hicks
Any decision as to whether a new library and technology centre will be built in Fort Frances this year likely will depend on whether the town’s successfully gets money from the “Building Canada” fund.
The town has applied for $1.17 million in funding for the library project, and should hear back within the next month, Community Services manager George Bell reported yesterday during a joint meeting of council and the library board.
If the town does get “Building Canada” funding towards the $4.7-million project, the local share would be $1.513 million—consisting of $592,000 from the town (including $240,000 from a dedicated reserve) and the rest from library fundraising dollars and the interest from them.
Coun. Andrew Hallikas said he recently was speaking with local MP John Rafferty, who indicated that if the library board writes him a letter stressing the importance of getting the ‘Building Canada’ funding, he would support the town’s application and bring it to the government’s attention.
Council and the library board also got an update yesterday regarding the awarding of the tender to build a new library and technology centre here.
The tender process usually involves a 60-day window, and previously it stood that agreements must be in place and a contract awarded to Aurora Construction by May 16 if the project is to proceed this year.
But councillors and board members learned yesterday that the prospective contractor has extended the tender package for another six weeks, giving council until July to make a decision for this year.
Under the terms of the grant, which is aimed at “shovel-ready” projects, the town would have until March, 2011 to complete the library and technology centre project.
As councillors and the library board alike wait for word on the funding, there also was some discussion yesterday of, but no consensus on, what might happen if the “Building Canada” funding does not come through.
Coun. Ken Perry said he still believes the current plans for a 13,622 sq. ft. building are too big for Fort Frances, even if the town gets “Building Canada” funding, because those funds won’t help cover the higher operating costs of a facility as large as the total ice surface at the curling club.
He added he’s researched many recent library projects in North America, and nearly everywhere they are being scaled down in size or scuttled because their communities simply can’t afford them.
Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft suggested council match the $852,000 raised by the “Building for the Future” campaign, then look at reducing the footprint from 13,622 sq. ft. to a size the rest of council would be happy with.
In response to several councillors’ concerns over operating costs of the new library, board chair Joyce Cunningham said that not only will the new one-level design of the library allow for the reduction of .5 library staff, but the board would be willing to “freeze” the library’s operating budget for several years and keep it under control if a new facility was built.
Several councillors noted, however, it is impossible to put a freeze on that due to the ever-changing costs of electricity and natural gas.
After nearly an hour-and-a-half, all parties agreed they would have to wait and see what will happen with the “Building Canada” grant.
