LETTER: The library does not need to move and does not need more space

To the editor,

Kudos to city administration for identifying some compelling reasons why a public library should not be developed at Intercity Mall. 

Fiscal prudence is an important consideration both in terms of the city’s finances and the community’s ability and willingness to pay for expensive and unnecessary new facilities.

Risk of investment in a leased space is also an area of concern. Moving out of a building that the library owns and into a rented space whose operating costs they do not control is irresponsible. Any money that the city sinks into this private property will only benefit its owners.

The impact of closing Brodie library on the south core will be both direct and indirect. The Brodie library is an anchor that many local communities - and particularly vulnerable communities - rely on as a social safety net. The library is central to the city’s vision of revitalizing the south core.

The library does not need to move. It does not need more space. Library usage is nowhere near as high as its historical levels. Most people in the city are happy with their local library where it is. Let’s keep it that way.

John Pateman
Thunder Bay