On Monday, June 20, 2016, members of Town Council, the Pelham Library Board, the Maple Acre Advisory Committee and the community, celebrated the start of construction and renovation of the new Maple Acre Library in Downtown Fenwick.
“Today’s start of construction of the new Maple Acre Library brings us one step closer to our vision of delivering exceptional library service throughout Pelham,” said Library Board Chair Tim Wright.
Poised for completion by the end of the year, the new community library will feature:
- a quiet/study room
- a lounge area facing Canboro Road
- a technology centre
- a historic record workroom
- children’s activity/multi-purpose rooms that can be used/rented separately
“Library staff are excited about the prospect of delivering programs and services to residents from the newly renovated facility in a few months,” said Pelham Library CEO Kirk Weaver. “In the meantime, we welcome visits to our temporary location at the Fenwick Fire Station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.”
In January, the Maple Acre Advisory Committee approved the new design after extensive community consultations that included open houses, comment sheets at the Arena and an online consultation. The approved design delivers on the initial requests from the community, which asked for a learning commons-type library with rentable, flexible, multi-purpose, open spaces and an area for significant historic records.
“The Maple Acre Library has been a part of Fenwick’s history and downtown core since 1919,” said Maple Acre Advisory Committee Chair Mayor Dave Augustyn. “The library’s redevelopment continues our revitalization of Downtown Fenwick, where this new community library will be enjoyed by generations to come.”
The brick at the front of the building that reads “Fenwick Fire Hall” will also be preserved and given to the Pelham Fire Department. According to historic documents, the original Maple Acre building was joined to the former Fenwick Fire Hall in 1970 to expand the children’s section. The original Fire Hall was built in 1946 and used until 1960 when a new Fire Hall was constructed nearby.
Quick Facts - Project Scope:
- Additional 3,400 square foot library space
- Restoration of historic 500 square foot 1919 building
- Design Build: m/2 Group Inc. and Architecture 49
- Budget: $1,000,000
- Timeline: December 2016 Completion
For more information, please contact:
Dave Augustyn, Mayor
(905) 892-2607 ext. 317
Darren Ottaway, Chief Administrative Officer
(905) 892-2607 ext. 318
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