Pictures show cracking to the masonry on the John M. Cuelenaere Public Library's outer walls (Budget Committee Agenda/City of P.A.)

By Alison Sandstrom

Budget 2020

P.A. library asks city for $100,000 for repairs

Nov 5, 2019 | 8:09 AM

The John M. Cuelenaere Public Library (JMCPL) is asking the city of P.A. for $100,000 to help fund repairs and renovations.

“It’s your building and your building needs some work,” JMCPL board chair Brent Zbaraschuk said Monday evening as he showed city councillors pictures of cracked masonry on the building’s outer walls.

The library was one of several community groups that made their case for city funding ahead of budget discussions that begin later this week.

Zbaraschuk said the $100,000 capital investment from the city would be supplemented with $228,780 from the library’s internal reserves. High on the to-do list of repairs was fixing damage to the outer walls.

“It’s not only an aesthetic eyesore to us but it’s also a safety concern,” said Zbaraschuk.

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“As we get into freezing [temperatures] it cracks, it crumbles and if that ever falls on somebody or something, then there’s a huge liability. So we’re trying to get ahead of it.”

The library wants funding to replace washroom flooring and stalls (Budget Committee Agenda/City of P.A.)

The library also wants to replace flooring and stained carpet, redo the bathrooms and buy new furniture. Zbaraschuk said having modern tables and chairs would help attract students from the new downtown University of Saskatchewan P.A. Campus when it opens in September.

“They will come if we provide it,” he said. “Those are probably thirty-year-old tables, they need replacing.”

In addition to the capital investments for renovations, the library requested the city leave their yearly operating budget of just under $2 million unchanged. That money is used to cover staff, building operations and library materials.

Councillors will discuss the library’s presentation, along with the proposals of the seven other groups at Monday’s meeting, during budget deliberations later this week. Who gets money, and how much, remains to be seen.

Stains on the carpet inside the John M. Cuelenaere Public Library (Budget Committee Agenda/City of P.A.)

alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom