Windsor

Search is on for temporary Windsor Public Library location

Finding a suitable new location for Windsor's main library branch will not be easy and time is running out — the library has to be out of its current location on Ouellette Avenue by June 2019.

Downtown Mission will take library's Ouellette Avenue branch

Windsor Public Library CEO Kitty Pope, left, announced the sale of the Central Branch to the Downtown Mission along with the mission's executive director Ron Dunn, centre, and Mayor Drew Dilkens on March 2, 2018. (Colin Côté-Paulette/Radio-Canada)

Finding a suitable new location for Windsor's main library branch will not be easy and time is running out — the library has to be out of its current location on Ouellette Avenue by June 2019.

On Friday, it was announced the building is being purchased by the Downtown Mission for $3.6 million, meaning the library will have to relocate.

Library CEO Kitty Pope said they need 75,000 sq. ft., but there does not appear to be any available buildings downtown that fit the bill.

"So, we need something that has the correct weight load to be able to carry the volume of materials that we put on the floor," Pope told CBC Windsor Morning's Tony Doucette. "So far, we've looked at 16 sites, in the downtown and slightly outside of the downtown, and at this point, we can see nothing that we could move into with minor renovations."

Some say sale not a 'wise decision'

The search is complicated by the fact not everyone is happy about the sale.

Linda Qin comes to the Windsor Public Library's Central Branch almost every day, but soon she'll have to find a new place to study in peace.

Library user Linda Qin, right, asks Windsor Public Library CEO Kitty Pope to explain why people who use the central branch were not asked about its sale. (Stacey Janzer/CBC)

"I don't think it's a  wise decision. I'm strongly against it," said Qin, who travels all the way from South Windsor to find a library with enough space and quiet for her to think.

"I just saw the message that said it's [too] big here. I don't think so, it's just perfect," she explained, before telling Pope the way the building was sold left her feeling disrespected.

"You made the decision even before asking the opinion of the public."

Hear more about the library's location search:

The CEO explained the mission had approached the library and offered to buy the branch or the building next door.

"The board looked at that and said 'You know what if the mission buys the building next door the values of this building will significantly reduce,'" so they chose to sell.

 As for Qin's other concern, Pope said ensuring there's enough "people space" will be an important factor in selecting the new branch

"We know our customers aren't mushrooms, they like to grow in the sunlight," she said. "We need open space."

The Devonshire Mall might seem like an obvious location to some, but Pope said the mall has made it clear that having a public library isn't in their business model. Plus, she said the mall has plans for the Sears building already. 

Pope said they may need to use one or more temporary locations until the right spot is found.

"We may have to break up the library into several small pieces for a little while," she said.

In the meantime, library staff are currently working on a moving plan to relocate the 175,000 books to wherever the new site may be.