A new library branch in Old Sandwich Town is getting the green light.
The Windsor Public Library board has approved designs for the new branch, and is looking to get construction started as soon as possible.
"We're really excited," says Peter Frise, chair of the library board. "It's going to be a beautiful facility, and a really great addition to that part of our city."
Designs for the new John Muir Public Library to be built in the Sandwich Town neighbourhood of Windsor are showcased at the Windsor Public Library board meeting on October 18, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
Frise says the new library branch will make use of a re-purposed old fire hall and stable in Old Sandwich Town.
"The design will take advantage of the best features of both. It'll preserve the heritage look and feel of both," says Frise.
A budget hasn't been pinned down quite yet for the project, according to Frise. However, in her report to the board, Windsor Public Library CEO Kitty Pope estimated the cost of the project at about $2.5-million.
She expects to see the new branch built by the summer of 2018.
"This truly is an historic event for the Windsor Public Library and the Sandwich neighbourhood," says Pope. "We now have a design concept that we're going to move forward with — it's huge."
The board will next be going through the detail design process before tendering out to a contractor to handle construction.
The new branch will go by the name of the John Muir Public Library.
The board is also looking to establish a new library branch in the Ward 9 area by 2022.