The first decisions of budget season will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Rumours are circulating that the knives will be out – again – for the new central library. A $67 million price tag was narrowly approved in September, but money has yet to be allocated through the capital budget process.
The Mayor and his allies may paint themselves as tax-cutting heroes, but any short-term gains on the back of the library will deliver long-term pain for the community and for our reputation.
By Nov. 12, city staff will have submitted a library grant application to the Federal Government for $36.6 million. It’s contingent on the $67 million figure approved in September. Tinkering with that amount the day after the grant deadline would undermine the integrity of our application and our chances of success. If we can land some or all of that $36.6 million, it will actually ease some of the pressure on tax rates, as well as allow us to build the library we really need.
And in this case, it’s not just the Feds we want as a partner. Windmill Developments is bringing upwards of $125 million in private sector investment to the Baker St. site. Businesses look for stability and predictability. If we dither on this file, Windmill could walk.
Councillor MacKinnon was cavalier about this possibility on social media in September – we’d just find someone else. But that ignores the reputational hit we would take. Who else would want to work with the City if we are so unpredictable and unreliable? Weren’t we supposed to be getting rid of the “the Guelph Factor”?
Windmill is a rare developer in their willingness to realize other goals for the City. We have said we want to reach net-zero carbon by 2050. Windmill aims to achieve “One Planet Living” certification on the Baker St. site. The Federal government has already backed this plan with a $175,000 grant to work towards environmental sustainability.
Libraries drive urban renewal and prosperity and the empty storefronts on northern Wyndham street underline that the library is desperately needed as an economic anchor on the north end of our downtown – now. Our new main library and the Baker St. development will be a triple-bottom-line investment: social, environmental and financial.
Going forward, the whole City needs the revenues that intensification on the Baker St. site will deliver. Mayor Guthrie acknowledged as much in media reports from a summer 2017 Council meeting: “This is a moneymaker for the city of Guelph," urged the Mayor, adding that while the site may be downtown, the whole city benefits from the uses and taxes that will follow redevelopment of what he called an ‘underperforming asset.’”
The proposed 90,000 square foot library is the lynchpin of the Baker St. development. And it’s no Cadillac. It’s a Chrysler minivan that will do the job we need. What family with 5 kids would buy a compact car thinking they had made a good financial decision because it had a lower price tag? Pouring millions of dollars into a library that will not be big enough to meet our future needs would be a similarly bone-headed decision.
No question it’s a tough budget season. Other priorities should be shifted slightly while we wait to see what happens with our $36.6 million federal grant application. Let’s not rip up our lottery ticket before the winning numbers have even been picked.
- Susan Watson
