It may have only been for a quick reheat, but a new main library branch in downtown Guelph got put back on the front burner at City Hall on Tuesday.
A city committee voted to ask council to send a message to potential private partners in the Baker Street redevelopment that the city wants a new main library branch to be part of that project.
To send that message, the Infrastructure, Development and Enterprise Committee passed a motion to ask council to put a new library put on the city’s 10 year capital forecast in the 2017 budget process.
The motion came during a presentation from staff outlining the upcoming process for engaging and hopefully coming to terms with private partners to help redevelop Baker Street.
The city wants to have a preferred private or institutional partner, or partners, identified by the end of 2017.
Mayor Cam Guthrie, who brought the library motion forward, wants it clear that a library is wanted in that development.
“It doesn’t mean it will land there, but it sends a strong signal,” the Mayor said.
Other councilors expressed some concern that a motion means little without the financial commitment to back it up.
Mike Salisbury said there were “anti-library” people on council and that sentiment was “warm and fuzzy feel-goods” that turn into “smoke and mirrors” without “dollars and cents to follow it through.”
Councilor Karl Wettstein said developers want more than words.
“They’re not going to see strength until they see dollars,” Wettstein said.
Deputy CAO Scott Stewart, while agreeing that it was good to send a message to developers, cautioned the committee to make sure it was the right message.
“Be sure of the signal you send,” he said, pointing out that developers will want to be sure council is serious about a library being part of the project as they spend money on moving forward with potential proposals.
The motion will now go to full council.
