City of Powell River council has deferred choosing a site for a new library until after a public hearing about rezoning the old arena parcel.
Councillor Debbie Dee, who made the motion to defer choosing a preferred location at the February 3 council meeting, pointed out one of the potential locations for a new library building is the vacant waterfront lot on Marine Avenue and Abbotsford Street, also known as Willingdon South. The city is holding a second public hearing about rezoning the lot from parks and playing fields to mixed use at 7 pm on Wednesday, February 16.
“Because one of the new library sites is located at the vacant property known as Willingdon South and there is a public hearing regarding this property next week, I would like to defer the motion to choose the preferred location for the library until the council meeting on March 3,” Dee said.
Councillor Maggie Hathaway said she’d like to see council make a decision, adding she’d like to see a motion locating a new library on Barnet Street.
The motion to defer choosing a preferred location until March 3 passed, with councillors Maggie Hathaway and Aaron Pinch voting in opposition.
Marie Claxton, city clerk, pointed out that the current zoning and the proposed rezoning of the old arena site both provide for civic use, which would include a library.
Earlier in the meeting, council approved the Powell River Public Library 2011 budget of $531,271.
