COMMUNITY

The New Main Branch Library project includes the restoration of the Bawcutt Centre, Paris’ original town hall from 1854, now deemed a National Historic Site. DPAI Architecture Inc of Hamilton designed the restoration of the hall and the new branch addition. It will be the first National Historic Site in Canada to achieve a Net-Zero carbon certification.

“We have some collaborations in the works – local event promoters have plans to offer concerts here, we have a partnership with an early childhood education group that will mean even more programming for kids, and we are exploring some exciting ideas with our Indigenous partners to bring learning and meaningful reconciliation opportunities to the community,” said Bernstein. The necessities and luxuries of this reimagined library will come with a price tag. At last count it was $37 million, but that estimate was more than a year ago. Bernstein breaks down the figure to dispel some misconceptions that the project will be funded entirely on the tax levy, or that dedicated funding for this project will come at the cost of other projects or infrastructure repairs or upgrades. “There are several sources of funding for this project A big chunk of it, about $16 million, comes from Development Charges, which are fees charged for new construction. By provincial law, only certain things are eligible to collect DC charges, and that list includes public libraries. Along with dozens of other growthrelated projects, the library gets a small portion for building new branches If that money isn’t spent on new libraries, then it doesn’t get collected and it can’t be spent on other projects,” she explained. The Library Board and Steering Group for the project are pursuing several grants to offset the final cost

They have targeted a $5 million public fundraising goal They anticipate fundraising will be local, provincial, and national because of the building’s historical significance. There will be several naming opportunities available to lead donors. Finally, the budget will call for about $11 to $12 million in debentures, which will rely on the tax levy.

The New Main Branch Library project includes the restoration of the Bawcutt Centre, Paris’ original town hall from 1854, now deemed a National Historic Site. DPAI Architecture Inc of Hamilton designed the restoration and new addition. It will be the first National Historic Site in Canada to achieve a Net-Zero carbon certification. It will be energy efficient and climate resilient, with solar panels on the roof and electric charging stations This state-of-the-art facility will replace the current Paris branch which was built in 1904 with funding from the Carnegie Foundation It had one addition in 1994 but has not seen any updates since. There is a long list of needed repairs from heating/cooling equipment to a new roof, windows, insulation, and electrical wiring Since council approved plans for a new library in 2018, the repairs to the Paris branch have been on hold year after year.

“Things are becoming critical, and we will need to invest in quite a lot in the near future if we have to stay in the building much longer,” said Bernstein “Even with those potential upgrades, we can’t change the fact that the building is too small for the community and parts of it are not accessible The current Paris branch has about 11,500 square feet, which doesn’t meet the recommended size for our current population, let alone the growth Brant is about to see in the future.”

Council must decide later this month whether to tender the project and proceed with plans to restore the Bawcutt Centre and build the new Branch Library addition. This discussion will take place at the County of Brant Council Meeting on Tuesday, January 28th at 6 pm in council chambers.

If it is approved, Bernstein confirms contractors will mobilize as quickly as possible to begin restoration work on the heritage structure The plan is to break ground on the addition in the spring of 2025. Construction is estimated to take 18-24 months with a targeted grand opening by the spring of 2027

Bernstein had a special message for supporters of the library, who’ve lobbied to help the project come to life “Your support and unwavering hope for the future has made all the difference. Because of you, we are closer than ever to building a new library and saving this National Historic Site.”,