Skip to content

Library doubling children's space at Waverley

The downtown library is getting a much-needed expansion as program registration continues to climb.
td-summer-reading-club3
Border Cats player Nick Veselinovic reads a child a book with an assist from mascot Boomer at during a 2024 summer reading program at the Waverley branch.

THUNDER BAY — The library's children's programming is oversubscribed and an expansion is in the works to help meet the growing demand.

The library reports that upwards of 10,000 more children attended programs in 2024 than in 2023, and TBPL is doubling the space for books, play areas, and programming rooms.

So much so that the library's CEO, Richard Togman, says these numbers exceed pre-pandemic participants. 

"We have waitlists for most of the programs, and we’re straining to meet public demand," he said in a release. 

Thunder Bay Public Library has announced an expansion of Waverley Library’s lower level children's space due to the rising program demand and community space needs.

"We’ve hit all-time highs, including pre-pandemic numbers, for our programming across the system. We’ve also had to turn away community groups looking for spaces to host their gatherings, especially children’s groups."

Currently, AETS (Anishinabek Employment and Training Services) operates in half of the basement space. However, according to the library's release AETS' lease will expire at the end of May. 

AETS has declined to comment at this time. 

In an interview on Monday, Togman said a request for proposals will be issued shortly for designs and costing. He's hoping interior work will start by the fall or winter of this year. 

As the project is still in the early stages, Togman hopes that interior upgrades and retrofitting of the space will be completed in 2026 and will not cause too much disruption to the current space and programming. He indicated that any structural upgrades for the older building will be managed throughout the duration of the project. 

The Friends of TBPL are supporting the project through their 50/50 lottery



Katie Nicholls

About the Author: Katie Nicholls

Originally from central Ontario, Katie moved here to further her career in the media industry.
Read more


Comments

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks