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New library branch to open in Barrie

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A new library branch is days away from opening in Barrie.

Staff have been busy opening boxes and stocking shelves for the past two weeks.

"Most libraries and cities and different things have anywhere from point-seven to one-square-foot per population base. So when you look at Barrie, we've been very under-serviced," said Barrie Public Library Director of Business and Development Christopher Vanderkruys.

The plan to build a branch into the Holly area has been in the works for years, bringing the total number of libraries in Barrie to three.

"Actually, our master facilities plan we did a few years back showed that we should have at least six library branches," Vanderkruys added.

"We haven't had library services ever since the area started to grow well over 30 years ago. And I was hearing from young families and seniors that they would love to have a library that was within walking distance," said City Coun. Gary Harvey.

Although the new branch is located in a strip mall and much smaller than the downtown and Painswick locations, Vanderkruys still expects it to be quite busy.

"If you watch the traffic flow and everything else from the restaurants to the drugstore to the grocery store, this will probably be a boutique library in a sense, but it's going to be really enhanced from that business," said Vanderkruys.

Council is already looking at building a fourth branch.

"The gameplan is that the next branch and community centre that will be built will be built in Ward 10 in the southeast corner in the New Hewitt's lands," said Harvey.

The Holly library will have the same hours as the downtown and Painswick branches.

No official opening date is set yet, but staff hope the new branch will be ready for a soft launch on Friday, Aug. 5.

An official grand opening will take place sometime in September.

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