Amherstburg library in early stages of possible relocation, nothing imminent

Amherstburg Public Library.

Minutes from an Essex County Library Board meeting has caused some questions in the community, but the town’s representative on the board maintains that the issue stems from a previous town council motion.

Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb acknowledged the meeting minutes from the board’s March 26 session, but stated his comments stemmed from a notice of motion that had been raised at the March 25 Amherstburg council meeting.

The board’s meeting minutes stated “Mr. Gibb advised the Board that the Town of Amherstburg is expected to begin searching for a new location for the Amherstburg branch in April. The timeframe for the project is to be determined.”

Gibb pointed out the notice of motion at the Amherstburg town council meeting had been put forth by Councillor Molly Allaire and he was relaying that to the Essex County Library Board. He said the motion that was subsequently passed in April begins “the long, slow process” of possibly getting a new library building in Amherstburg.

“It was just for information to the Essex County Library Board,” said Gibb.

The motion from the March 25 council meeting that was adopted at the April 14 session called for town administration to report back on future opportunities that may exist to relocate the Amherstburg branch of the Essex County Library and to direct administration to send a letter to Essex County council and the library board “to request consideration for monies to be set aside for future funding in relation to fit-up costs associated with a new Amherstburg Library branch.”

A full story from town council’s discussion appeared in the April 23 edition.

Gibb said municipalities are responsible for the buildings the libraries are housed in, while the library board provides the staffing and contents. A review showed the Amherstburg branch is well used but undersized. 

Programming is busy and “every inch” is being used, but Gibb said other libraries are larger and can offer more.

“It’s a beautiful building but it doesn’t serve the purpose of what a modern library should be,” he said.

While the issue of a new library has been put on the radar, Gibb indicated it is a slow process and “a big decision” that will have to be made down the road should a new location come up.

“People are assuming something is imminent,” he said. “It’s nothing that will happen tomorrow. It’s a very long process. It’s not imminent.”

The current Carnegie library is over 110-years-old, and Gibb said while more square footage would be useful, the branch will stay where it is for now.

“We’ll probably have a new library before it gets to 200-years-old,” he said.

Amherstburg library in early stages of possible relocation, nothing imminent

By Ron Giofu