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Two Sides Clash Over Magrath Public Library Relocation

Oct 12, 2016 | 12:58 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Conversation was heated at Tuesday’s (Oct. 11) Magrath Town Council meeting, where a group of concerned residents brought forth a petition to save the town’s current library location.
 
The idea for the original building was conceived in 1987. It was then a concerted effort by the Library Board and dozens of volunteers to raise $500,000 for construction costs, as the Town agreed to provide the necessary plot of land. The doors officially opened in 1997.
 
In December 2014, Magrath Council approved a motion to re-locate the public library to the school. Mayor Russ Barnett says the move came after the Westwind School Division asked the Town to enter into a private partnership.
 
The School Division proposed that the Town provide the necessary funding, with the school then creating a community hub with an upgraded library, theatre and other resources without having to increase the school’s footprint.
 
Since then, the Town of Magrath has raised $700,000 through two grants for the Career Technology Studies (CTS) Centre.
 
However, a group of residents are not completely satisfied with council’s decision. A petition was circulated over the past two weeks that came back with 362 signatures.
 
That document was presented at Tuesday’s meeting, followed by a two-hour question-and-answer session. The group’s three main concerns include:
 
– the lack of consideration for the “community spirit” and support that helped build the library;
– an oral contract they feel is being broken by council;
– the unwarranted cost associated with the move.
 
“The community built the library, and put a lot of effort into it. Among many other things, they raised $500,000,” noted Roch Demaere, representative for the petitioners. “For the town to just kick the library out of that building, there’s a lot of hard feelings.”
 
The group now hopes it can come to an agreement with council that would leave the cherished library at its current location, but open a second branch at the school, and put a new contract into writing between the Town and Library Board.
 
Although, if that cannot be reached, they have also proposed a town plebiscite, and even suggested legal action may be taken since they feel a legal, oral contract is being breached.
 
In a brief interview with Lethbridge News Now, Mayor Barnett clarified a few points from the Town’s perspective.
 
First, he didn’t know why there was no formal contract for the original public library, but certainly recognized and appreciates the community’s hard work in getting it built.
 
Mayor Barnett went on to explain that the new library would have extended hours, better overall community access, improved technology, more for children and students, at one point in the meeting noting that it would not move if it wasn’t going to be an improvement.
 
As far as community spirit is concerned, he said that residents will still find ways to support the new library like they did for the original building, but noted that there are no plans to re-model the old building just yet.
 
Through extensive consultation with residents and all stakeholders involved, council still feels that its done due dilligence and is confident in their choice, even faced with the highly supported petition.
 
Opinions remained divided between council and the petitioners by the end of the meeting, though.
 
“They didn’t address the questions at all. Our concerns aren’t with the logistics of the library, which is what [council] talked about, but with those three things,” said Demaere.
 
Mayor Barnett countered that the issues stretch far beyond just the building, and would be another step toward town council’s goal of creating what he called the ‘world’s best community’.
 
“With what Westwind School Division’s going to bring to the table, with what it’s going to bring for education for our students, I think we’re going to go from good to great!”
 
Magrath Town Administration has now been tasked to come back to the next meeting (Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.) to speak to the petition’s sufficiency, according to a number of guidelines. Council can then make a final decision on the proposal, or open the issue to a public hearing if they deem necessary.