An architectural rendering of a proposed branch library on the south side of Prince Albert. (council agenda/CIty of Prince Albert)

By Susan McNeil

South Hill Library

Application in the works for branch library in the Yard District

Apr 26, 2022 | 3:00 PM

A request from the Prince Albert Library Board to have city hall support their grant application for a new branch library in The Yard district met with unanimous approval.

Council had few questions about the proposal with the exception of how it might impact funding for the arena and pool project to be started this spring and if an exact location had been determined.

Director of Community Services, Jody Boulet, said that the place would be somewhere in The Yard district.

“The exact site would be something I would say is determined at a later date. All they need for the purposes of the application is for us to show the overall site,” Boulet said.

The application would be made to a new envelope in the federal government’s Infrastructure fund that is tied to culture.

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Councillor Dennis Ogrodnick said the idea of a second library in a different part of town was identified when the different areas of the city were polled for the Community Services Master Plan.

“A library was part of that master plan and this just follows through on this. This is going to be Phase III of the big project that’s happening in The Yard,” he said.

The estimated costs of a branch library is $7.6 million. Should the project proceed, the costs would be split with funding from the federal government paying for 40 per cent, the province would cover 33.33 per cent and the City would pay for 26.67 per cent.

Even though it is the library board that put forward the idea of a second location, the City would be considered the applicant by the Government of Canada.

At the moment, the application would be for a standalone building as joining the project with the arena and pool could jeopardize that grant.

Boulet said that if the application is approved, the discussion can then start about attaching the library to the arenas.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow