Almost six months to the day after it opened, the John Muir Branch of the Windsor Public Library has received an award for heritage conservation.
Windsor Public Library CEO, Kitty Pope, was in Toronto Thursday night to pick up the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for Excellence in Conservation.
The library, which opened in late September, was transformed from an old fire hall and stable on Sandwich Street into a modern 7,400 sq ft space, including a glass -capped observation tower, a suspended bridge made from reclaimed wood, and performance space.
The four-year project cost $5.5-million, an increase from initial estimates of $2.2-million.
At the time, Pope explained the cost-overruns could not be avoided.
"The original broad estimates were done five years ago," she said in December 2018. "If anybody has been renovating -- they know that renovation and construction costs have gone up."
Soil conditions under the building also added to the cost.
The award recognizes outstanding contributions to cultural heritage, sustainability, biodiversity and natural heritage conservation.