Last night the Thorold Public Library finally unveiled the conceptual plan for their planned expansion of the library building.
The expansion to the library would greatly expand the size of the building, adding program rooms and study rooms, provide extra parking and would also install a reading garden and an accessible indigenous healing garden at the back of the building.
Tina Ranieri-D’Ovidio, managing partner and design architect of ward99 architects, the architectural firm tapped for the expansion, was on hand to present the conceptual plan to the public.
Said Ranieri D’Ovidio, “We’re excited to be working with Thorold on this project and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on.”
The expansion would significantly raise the roof of the library to create an open space, which would be accentuated by ceiling-to-floor glass windows. On the side of the building there would be solar wall panelling to allow for solar energy to be captured and brought into the building.
Said Ranieri D’Ovidio, “The proposed renovation and addition is targeting net-zero carbon, so what that really means is that we’re looking to optimize the building envelope (and) not to use any gas in this building so we would go with a geo-thermal heat pump system. The goal is to achieve a highly sustainable building that would be able to sustain itself rather than adding to energy insufficiencies.”
The expansion of the library building has been in the works for over a year after a 2020 feasibility study concluded that more library space was needed to keep up with the projected growth of the booming population in Thorold.
At this time the library is still finalizing the funding for the project.
Said Rebecca Lazarenko, the interim chief librarian, “Obviously funding is a question mark and one of the big things we’re hoping to get is a Green Initiative Grant to pay for the bulk of the funding (but) we don’t know yet if we did receive it.”
The proposed expansion will take about a year to complete and will not interfere with library services.
Said Lazarenko, “We’re currently undergoing a small (two week) renovation and we’re closed to the public doing curb-side only. We wouldn’t obviously do that for a year. We would find a temporary space to work out of so that we could continue to provide library services.”
The library is still welcoming feedback from the public at this time so reach out to [email protected] if you want your voice heard.
