Halifax regional council voted to approve a $55-million funding strategy for HRM’s new central library yesterday, 15 years after the idea was first floated in city hall.
An overwhelming majority of councillors approved the funding strategy, with Dartmouth Centre Coun. Gloria McCluskey providing the sole nay vote.
The library, which will be built on the corner of Spring Garden Road and Queen Street, is set to open its doors in 2014. Council awarded a $4.2-million contract to design the building to architecture firm Fowler, Bauld and Mitchell Ltd. yesterday.
Real property planning manager Peter Bigelow said the new library will be a chance to revitalize the downtown core.
“(The library) is an opportunity to attract energy back into the downtown,” he said.
HRM will contribute $23.7 million to the project. The municipality will draw on several sources to come up with the funding, including the sale of adjacent lots owned by HRM.
The library will also receive funding from the provincial and federal governments. The province will kick in $13 million, and the federal government will contribute $18.3 million.
Downtown Halifax Coun. Dawn Sloane said council is leading by example by investing in the downtown core.
“HRMbyDesign … demands quality development, (and) we’re about to do one,” she said. “We’re actually going to be the champions for such quality in our downtown.”
In a rare display of harmony, both urban and rural councillors came out strongly in favour of approving the funding strategy.
Sale evaluation
Council also voted to tender a $100,000 contract to evaluate the current Spring Garden Road library site for possible future sale. Before the land can be sold, however, the municipality must approach the province to amend legislation that states the land can only be used for a public park and a library.
