The East Ferris Public Library is set to undergo another round of upgrades, courtesy of a Provincial grant received in 2022. In the next week or so, work will begin on interior renovations, with an upward limit of $55,000. The DL Building Group has been awarded the work contract.
Library fans will recall that in early May of 2022, the Municipality received $79,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund earmarked for the library. This fund came about to help charities and not-for-profits adapt to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
See: Trillium funds help keep East Ferris Library clean and spacious
“Probably by next week or so we’ll start,” explained Jennifer Laporte, the library’s CEO. “And we want the project to be finished by the end of April. The grant helps us to increase our capacity within the building and expand our programming,” she enthused.
The library has already used some of the grant to improve air quality within the building, but the big-ticket item so far has been the purchase of a 20 by 14-foot shed. More than just storage space, the new shed, which arrived in late-November, will also allow space for library programs. The shed was built off site by Old Hickory Buildings and delivered to the library in one piece, ready to go.
Creating space was one of the goals of the funding, to allow for more room in existing facilities for fear of another outbreak where social distancing will be recommended. The shed allows for breathing room by giving more space for programs, and for storing items from the main building which creates more elbow room within.
What lies ahead? The list or work includes converting the staff washroom into a janitorial room, complete with additional shelving for chemicals. A sink will also be installed perfect for emptying mop buckets – a slop sink for those in the know – and the supply room will also be improved with additional cupboards and shelving.
There will also be three new work spaces added to the library proper, as well as some new cabinets and cupboards to increase storage for special programming. New flooring will also be installed.
Laporte noted the municipality was a great help in securing the funding. For this grant, only municipalities could apply, so the library board worked closely with East Ferris’ Chief Administrative Officer to put the application on the Province’s desk.
“It was a really good partnership,” Laporte said, “with a really supportive council and staff.”
As of now, there are no plans to close the library during regular hours to accommodate the renovations. If that changes, the library will post on its website.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
