Lacasse wants library funds for marina reno project

With the expansion of Aylmer’s Lucy-Faris Library officially in limbo – maybe for years – its budget is being eyed for other projects.

The city has about $9 million left in its total library budget, for two libraries. The city had put aside $22 million a few years ago to build a library in the Plateau, expand Lucy-Faris and Hull’s Guy-Sanche. With the Plateau’s new facility complete, the $9 million remaining is insufficient for a new resource library. Aylmer councillor Josée Lacasse has suggested putting some of the $9 million towards the also underfunded marina project.

“Council was told it would cost about $30 million to build a brand-new library in Aylmer and that an expansion of Lucy-Faris would not be possible in Place des Pionniers,” Lacasse told the Bulletin. She said she expects a new library will take years, although the city is still running a modest surplus.

“I’m sure we could set up a nice reading space on the second floor and leave the books on the first floor,” said Lacasse. However, a city employee has said this option is unlikely because the building is structurally unsound. Lacasse believes this is a defeatist mindset. The councillor doesn’t want a new library built outside Old Aylmer and also wants to boost the budget for the marina renovation.

“From what I remember, we had $10 million reserved for the entire marina project in 2007; now we plan to build the pavilion in 2018 – with only $5.4 million in the project‘s budget. Why don’t we take half of the $9 million (reserved for two libraries) and add it to the marina project,” argued Lacasse.

The city has told citizens that most of the marina project budget will now be used to demolish and rebuild the pavilion. “This is like building a new house without doing any landscaping,” remarked Lacasse. “No, there’s now nothing planned for the other building near the beach. That’s why we need more money.” Council will debate this subject in 2017, she said.