Some up-front money may be required to move the new Powell River Public Library project along.
At a recent City of Powell River finance committee meeting, Shehzad Somji, the city’s chief financial officer, said the recommendation to the committee is that up to $25,000 be approved from the Arts and Culture Committee Reserve Account for preliminary work for the library design at Crossroads Village Shopping Centre.
In his report, Somji said the interior design and layout of the library is complete, but there may be additional work required to ensure that the setup of the space at Crossroads Village is satisfactory. The funds requested are for those purposes and will be used only if there is no other funding source available.
“We need to progress,” he said.
Councillor Maggie Hathaway said she was speaking against the recommendation. She said what she’d heard from Crossroads Village was that the library would be a turnkey facility.
“It might not be a written agreement but it certainly was verbal on my part,” she said.
Hathaway added that she believes the arts and culture reserve money is committed.
Councillor Rob Southcott, the city’s library board representative, said there is a lot of “chomping at the bit” and apprehension at the library about loss of momentum regarding the whole process to purchase and renovate the new facility.
“The library board really wants to get busy and start fundraising,” he said. “My concern is will this get in the way of the process?”
Somji said it won’t get in the way but it may delay the process a bit. He said the city has not signed off on what the turnkey facility will look like inside.
City Clerk Marie Claxton reminded councillors that during their previous city council meeting, the preliminary design for the library had been received. She said that Mac Fraser, chief administrative officer, had committed to providing a full update on the project.
Somji said as far as fundraising is concerned, he has spoken to library representatives and will receive a report because there is a requirement to establish a set dollar amount for fundraising.
Mayor Dave Formosa said council is also awaiting information on the purchase model: whether it is better to purchase the building outright or on a lease-to-own basis.
“Once that happens we can make a decision on which of those models to go with and put this thing in high gear,” Formosa said. “Maybe we can suggest a letter of intent for these people to give them some comfort. I don’t think it will hold it up.”
