Ottawa library to analyze 9 potential sites for new central branch

Developers, contractors and other firms have suggested nine downtown sites where theOttawa Public Library could build a new central branch, in a process that may or may not dovetail with the re-development ofLeBreton Flats.

A report that was to go tothe library's board Tuesday, ata meeting that has nowbeen postponed,sumsup the results of confidential meetings the library held last fall.

A dozen private sector groups and two public sector ones, including Library and Archives Canada, met with the Ottawa Public Library.

Theyputnine potential sites on the table, in all.

5 proposals west of Bronson

The addresses of those sites have not been made public, but five were west of Bronson Avenue, two were downtown between Bronson and Elgin, and two were east of the Rideau Canal.

The library also asked the groups toweighin on itspreferred siteat557 Wellington St., besidethe western outlet of the light-rail tunnel.

Almost all who answered the library'scall for expressions of interest said that site or any site near the future Pimisi light-rail station on Booth Streetwouldbe "an excellent location for a landmark Central Library."

Coun. Tim Tierney, who chairs the library's board, could not say whether the sitesat Albert and Booth streets laid out last monthin two competing proposals for LeBreton Flats are among the nine proposals.

As an elected official, he's not privy to those confidential meetings, he said.

But Tierney underscored that the city's process for building a new central libraryis separate from the National Capital Commission's LeBreton re-development.

"We want shovels in the ground by the second quarter of 2018," said Tierney. "We think this is a major visionary project in our cityand if people can't accommodate that, I'm sorry but it's not going to work with us."

Municipal library still analyzing partnership withnationalcounterpart

Before it moves on to the next procurement step, however, the Ottawa Public Library must decide whether to expandits new building project to incorporate Library and Archives Canada.

The municipal library's CEO, Danielle McDonald, and the Librarian and Archivist of Canada, Guy Berthiaume, agreed in January to study the possibility ofa joint facilitywhere Library and Archives Canada could relocatesome of its public operations.

When it held itsconfidential meetings last fall, the Ottawa Public Library didn't know a partnership with Library and Archives was a possibility.

The size and location of a future library site, as well as the financial studies, would need to be modified if the federal institution is on board.

"This is a very good thing. We couldn't have asked for a better gift than this," said Tierney."If this doesworkout obviously the 132,000 square feet will have to be upwards of 200,000 square feet."

Tierney said he's confident that by March the two partieswill have figured out whether they have enough in common to move ahead together.

Also by March, thelibrary will settle on criteria forchoosinga site for a new central library so it canputout arequest for qualifications, followed by a request for proposals, likely by the fall.