Bright colours, learning, and games are what the newly named and renovated children’s wing of Stanley A. Milner Library across from Churchill Square is all about.
The children’s wing was officially named the Shelley Milner Children’s Library, and the renovations and expansion were unveiled yesterday.
Dr. Stanley A. Milner’s most recent donation to the children’s library was approximately $500,000, and allowed for renovations and expansions to be possible for the Edmonton public library.
City council members, members of Milner’s family, many of whom travelled internationally to be there, and the Grade 3 students of Guthrie School attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“My daughter was a very delightful person,” said Stanley A. Milner of his late daughter Shelley Milner.
“This is a great honour to her,” he said. “She was always reading, always considerate of everyone else, and always loved children. Unfortunately as my mother said, only the good die young, and she certainly was one of those.”
Renovations for the library named in her honour took about a year to complete.
“Most of it went to the renovations but we also used the funds to buy about 10 wooden play and reading boats for many of the branches,” said Kathleen Pine, manager of the children’s library. “We have also installed aquariums in about five different locations, then the expansion of the program room which was made about a third larger, and all of the preschool area was paid for in donations.”
