The City of Victoria and the Greater Victoria Public Library are looking into plans for two new library branch locations in the near future.
In city councilB次元官网网址檚 2019-2022 Strategic Plan draft, council identified developing a new Central Library branch as a priority for 2019-2022, and also listed establishing a Hillside/north end library branch location in 2021.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 been a plan in the works for many years to create a new Central Library downtown,B次元官网网址� said Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps. B次元官网网址淏y the end of this term we want a plan in place for funding and for a site.B次元官网网址�
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Helps said the current Central Branch location at 735 Broughton St. was designated as a B次元官网网址渢emporaryB次元官网网址� site after they moved from the Carnegie building on Yates Street 38 years ago.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e outgrown the location,B次元官网网址� Helps said. B次元官网网址淟ibraries in the 21st century are places for democracy, diversity and inclusion.B次元官网网址�
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Helps said there would likely need to be a series of grant applications, potential partnerships and potential borrowing to find a space larger than the current 34,000 square foot lot.
For Colwood Mayor Rob Martin, who is also the chair of the board for GVPL, the goal is to keep the branch in the downtown core and to accommodate recent changes.
B次元官网网址淭he reason the board is pushing for this is weB次元官网网址檝e seen a dramatic increase in the population and a lot of pressures on the system,B次元官网网址� Martin said. B次元官网网址淲e are the largest per capita borrowing library in Canada, and as libraries evolve weB次元官网网址檝e seen problems, such as not having large enough flexible learning spaces.B次元官网网址�
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Martin noted that thereB次元官网网址檚 been a B次元官网网址渉uge uptakeB次元官网网址� at the new sx史e艐x史蓹艐 t蓹艐蓹x史 James Bay Library branch, thanks in part to its digital labs and work spaces.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a matter that programs are not happening, but they could be better,B次元官网网址� Martin said.
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In regards to the Hillside/north end library branch, Helps said it would be a later priority.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 realistic to plan for two locations,B次元官网网址� Helps said, noting that the strategic plan is still a draft. B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 the 21st century, there are lots of ways to offer a library, and creative ways to service a neighbourhood that doesnB次元官网网址檛 have a branch.B次元官网网址�
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