Thunder Bay Public Library seeks extra $150K to help plan new central library location

The Thunder Bay Public Library is seeking a cost estimate for its proposed central library location at the Intercity Shopping Centre,but it needs some extra cash from this year's municipal budget to do it.

The library's 2023 master facilities plan, presented to council last June, outlines its vision for the creation of a new central library location with a number of neighbourhood branches.

At the time, council supported the project in principle and directed city staff to report back in June 2024 on the capital and operating financial implications.

The library has requested a $6.9-million budget this year, a 4.5 per cent increase over last year. It'salso looking for an additional $150,000 to hire consultants to provide more information on the central library before council reviews its new master facilities plan and potentially makes a decision on whether to greenlight the new location.

The library says its operating budget has only increased 0.32 per cent over the last 15 years.

City manager Norm Gale says administration is not in favour of the additional $150,000, making the argument that architectural drawings aren't required for the upcoming report in June. But library CEO Richard Togman disagrees.

"There's a lot of integrated components in this piece and there's no conceivable way I can make sense of how we can provide a fully-informed costing and actual plan for a new master facilities plan without these elements. It's simply beyond the capacity of the library or administration to do this work," Togman told councillors Tuesday night.

Councillors debate consulting fees

The consultants would produce more than just architectural drawings, Togman said. Their work would also include:

• A Class C cost estimate for the central library.
• Marketing materials for community consultation.
• A negotiated, unsigned lease with Intercity Shopping Centre, including price and lease duration.
• A full report on community consultations and support, with a focus on Indigenous consultation.
• Working with the city's planning department to determine necessary zoning changes.

But not all councillors are convinced the work is worth the extra cost.

"The last thing I want to do is spend $150,000 on a project that's not going to happen. We did it with the event centre, we did it with the turf centre, and I think the community is getting tired of us spending money on consultants, on projects that aren't realized," said the budget chair,Coun. Mark Bentz.

However, Coun. Trevor Giertuga said he'd prefer to have the consulting work done now so council can make a more well-informed decision on whether to pay for such a huge capital project.

"It's a small amount and if [the project] doesn't happen to go through, at least we did our due diligence and we know what we're voting on rather than voting on questionables," Giertuga said.

Several questions were raised about zoning, though Gale reminded council that is separate from the budget process.

Coun. Michael Zussino put a motion on the table to approve the additional $150,000. While deputy city clerk Dana Earle warned council that approving the amount may be pre-emptive and broaching into planning, Coun. Shelby Ch'ng temporarily in the budget chair's seat ruled the motion in order.

"I do not see how adding $150,000 to the budget would circumvent what administration is already doing, I see it as going hand in hand," Ch'ng said.

Council voted for city staff to come back with a memo Thursday with more information about the amount requested by the library, with a vote on whether to spend the $150,000 coming later on. Budget talks will continue for the next couple weeks before final ratification Feb. 12.