Permits have been issued for construction of the branch, which will offer 13,412 square feet of space.
The new branch has been three years in the making, with the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) Board of Trustees first voting to approve the library on March 18, 2017.
“It certainly has been a journey getting to this exciting point,” says Brenda Leigh, Chair of the VIRL Board of Trustees.
“I would like to thank the community for their patience as we worked through the challenges of planning within a sustained period of intensive development on the Island, revising the design to align with the Budget and the District’s development vision, and all of the other pieces that needed to fall into place for a project of this scope.”
Employee-owned firm HDR’s circular design was chosen as the winning architectural pitch, while Nanaimo-based contractor Island West Coast Developments (IWCD) will be responsible for construction of the branch.
The new branch will feature a fireplace lounge area, a laptop bar, a children’s area, study space, bookable rooms, and expanded hours of operation for the community.
The project will cost $7.5 million, which includes budgeting for construction, furnishings, technology infrastructure and site preparation.
Funding will be provided through a loan from the Municipal Finance Authority to the Capital Regional District.
The VIRL says that a construction timeline will be shared with the public when it becomes available. Updates on the project will be posted to the Capital Projects section of the VIRL website.
