QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Will this project cause my taxes to go up?
No – the total cost of this project has been obtained through donations and grants.
When will the renovation take place?
The renovation will begin the first week in January and is expected to last approximately 3 months.
Will the Children’s Department be closed during the renovation?
The physical location of the Children’s Department will be closed during the renovation period for approximately 3 months. Access to the most popular books/items in the children’s collection will be available in the Adult Department of the library. Access to the entire children’s collection will not be available during the renovation period.
Why are you renovating the Children’s Department? No one uses libraries anymore. Everything is on the Internet.
Our Children’s Department is heavily used by parents and children, from tots to teens. We have many programs such as “Mom’s and Tots”, the TD Summer Reading Program, and the After-School Program that are very popular and are relied upon by our community. In fact, since 2017, participation in children’s programming rose by 407% with 4509 participants. Not everyone can afford to own books and technology and not all of the children in Kirkland Lake have a safe, educational, and free place to go after school or during the summer. The Children’s Department serves a vital need for the community to:
- Foster literacy through early reading
- Provide a free, safe, and vibrant space for children to read, play and engage in programs
- Develop children’s creativity through imagination, games, technology, and reading
- Provide a place for children to develop a community outside of school.
The Children’s Department is in need of more space and more functional space that will increase by 40% as an outcome of this project, with the number of seats increasing by 236% from 22 to 74. There are so many improvements that can be made to leverage the wonderful programming and services that are already occurring that will meet the needs of the community, especially our children. We also hope that a revitalized Children’s Department will encourage families to relocate to Kirkland Lake.
Have you asked the community what they want and need?
Yes – during the early Fall 2022, the architects were in Kirkland Lake, meeting with parents and children, observing programming, and talking to library staff. Survey questions were posted in the library and on the TKL website, inviting the community for their input. This input was incorporated into the design.
Who is working on the project and what experience do they have?
A skilled team has worked together on the initial phase of the renovation and includes the architectural firm of Perkins and Will, Polestar Construction Management, the CEO of the Teck Centennial Library, staff of the Children’s Department, volunteers on the Library Board, a private donor with significant experience working with fundraising, library operations, and space design, and Municipal Staff who are contributing in the roles of Project Manager, Procurement, Risk Management, Communications and Finance.Kohut Electric is the general contractor leading the construction phase.