Prince George City Council will be getting yet another presentation on the Public Library entrance next week.
Since its construction, the library has struggled with accessibility challenges and successive councils have kicked the issue down the road for decades.
Engineers have put a bow on a detailed $2.5 million plan to finally solve the problem, and the Library is hoping to see the project funded in the 2017 capital budget.
Chief Librarian Janet Marren says they’ve worked hard to please both library patrons and taxpayers.
“These latest drawings are the very minimum we can go, we worked really hard to make sure that we addressed the real core needs. These plans represent those needs of accessibility and security.”
In 2014, a $2.5 million entrance renovation for the library was put on ice due to concerns that it could run over budget. In 2015 during budget deliberations, the city then committed $200,000 to more closely examine the project.
After being sent back to the drawing board, Marren says this new plan should put those worries to bed.
“We did further work this year, and redesigned and made sure we met all the needs and puts a price tag to it that had been very well researched” noting that construction, consulting, contingency costs have all been fully calculated.
The Library Board of Trustees have issued a letter in support of the plan.
City staff will ultimately make recommendations of what should be placed in the 2017 capital budget, which will be debated and signed off on by councillors during deliberations at the end of the year.
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