New library branch to open in Barrie
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.