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LETTER: It is not a choice between a new library or south end rec centre, both are needed

In a letter to GuelphToday, library chair Scott Butler says that by placing two items on the same agenda, it inadvertently created the impression that this is an either/or proposition
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GuelphToday received the following letter from Scott Butler, chair of the Guelph Public Library Board of Directors.

In what is beginning to feel like an annual right of passage, a critical decision on the new main library in Guelph’s city centre is heading to council. At the risk of appearing dramatic, the Oct. 5 council meeting might be the most important in Guelph’s recent history.

A lot of eyes will be focused on the “Items for Discussion,” namely the south-end recreation centre and the new central library.

By placing these two items on the same agenda, it inadvertently created the impression that this is an either/or proposition. It is not.

Let’s be clear. 

Both of these facilities are sorely needed.

Both of these projects directly reflect our city’s ambitions.

Both of these projects will improve the quality of life for the families and businesses that call Guelph home.

Both of these projects – in spite of what you may have read online – are supported by fully funded and costed plans.

And both of these projects will change our city for the better.

In spite of these facts, the library’s standing in the Baker District continues to be misunderstood. Whether your concern is affordability, architectural beauty or civic renewal, there are important reasons why the new plan for the new central library is worthy of support.

Start with the building. The firm Diamond Schmitt are the architects. That should start and end the conversation. They are to libraries in Canada what the Swiss are to timekeeping. They have designed iconic buildings across the globe. Their design for the library is nothing short of the finest building that Guelph will have seen since they stopped building stone churches downtown.

When a building of this calibre is built on a parcel of land as rich in potential as the Baker District, it becomes the key that unlocks ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ civic renewal. Bioregional, a UK-based non-profit organization that promotes “a better and more sustainable way to live,” endorsed this project under its One Planet Living sustainability framework. This is only the third time this has happened in North America. This means that residential developments and the library that are part of the project will be environmentally responsible. They will also unlock considerable pools of revenue for the city in perpetuity.

Finally, there is the issue of affordability. Surprisingly, there is a lot of good news.

The new plan in front of council has already resulted in an almost 10 per cent reduction in construction costs of the previously approved design. A little more than $14 million of the overall cost will be funded through development charges. Recent changes to the Development Charges Act could push this figure higher. And because of the efficiencies of the new plan, the levy that was approved for this project has been more than halved.

The recommendation now calls for a 0.39 per cent levy for 20 years. It is important to remember that the average home is Guelph has been assessed by MPAC to be valued at about $390,000. Multiple that by the number of ratepayers in Guelph and the average homeowner is looking at a tax increase this is the cost of a premium donut at Tim Hortons every month or a little less than $15 a year. The remainder will be funded through normal city budgeting.

There is no hiding from the fact that the plan in front of council on Oct. 5 is different from the plan it endorsed last year.

When the realities of COVID demanded a rethink of the Baker District, the partnership of Windmill, DSAI, DTAH and the City of Guelph got creative. The result is in a bold plan that, by every measure, is a dramatic upgrade for the library, the people of Guelph and city finances. There is a lot to be excited about.

Let’s get moving.