I am so pleased to announce that last night, we received Council approval for the Georgetown Branch Renovation/Expansion Project, and enhancements for the Cultural Centre! The cost for the Georgetown Branch Project will be $10.6M (with .6M already committed to architectural and other consultant fees). The only change in the cost from the original report presented to Council in September 2007 was an additional 5% due to the one year delay. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2010, with the new branch opening in the fall of 2011.

There were three other successes last night. First, after some considerable debate, Council approved the pursuit of LEED certification at the Silver level, which means that we will have a very 'green' building. Our utility costs will be considerably reduced, and our workplace will be healthier (less off-gassing from materials such as carpeting and paint). Based on some information recently received, Council directed staff to do a further study of a geothermal system for the facility, providing details on benefits, costs and possible funding sources.

The second success was Council's approval of a feasibility study for a capital campaign for the Library and Cultural Centre. The purpose of this study is to examine the community's capacity to give. The consultant's primary task will be to identify and meet with potential donors (both corporate and individuals). The consultant will also try to get a sense of the reputation of the Library and Cultural Centre in the community. Information about donors and general interest in donating to the Library and Cultural Centre projects will help the consultant establish a realistic target, as well as an action plan and costing for the fundraising process.

Finally, Council approved Holy Cross Church as a temporary site for the Georgetown Branch during the construction phase, which is estimated to be 15-18 months. Due to weight bearing load issues, the Library will be located on the lower floor of the Church. Use of the upper floor has yet to be confirmed.

We have our two Councillors on the Library Board to thank for their tremendous support: Councillor Moya Johnson and Councillor Bob Inglis. We also appreciated the support of Councillor Jon Hurst, who was a passionate advocate for LEED.

Next steps will include:

• communicating this wonderful news to the media, our 'neighbours', and to our community service partners
• reconvening the Georgetown Branch Planning Committee to oversee this project
• issuing "Requests for Proposals" for a project manager, and for a consultant to conduct the capital campaign feasibility study
• working with Enermodal Engineering on the geothermal study for presentation to Council
• meeting with the Town's Committee of Adjustment to seek approval on several variances
• finalizing the floor plans

It will continue to be a very busy but exciting time, as staff work towards building the best possible library for this community.

As per usual, any questions or concerns about this project can be directed to me via this blog or through my e-mail at diamantij@hhpl.on.ca