‘A smart investment’: Barrie Public Library, residents make pitch for new ‘boutique’ Holly branch

The Barrie Public Library is preparing to branch out into the city’s southwest corner. 

Library officials made their case for an expansion into the Holly community during a council meeting Nov. 9. Under the proposal, the library would open a roughly 4,500-square-foot “boutique” branch in a strip mall near the Mapleton Avenue and Essa Road intersection. Lease negotiations are in an early stage, but the site could open in early summer 2021.

The mall is owned by SmartCentres and is home to a , among other high-profile tenants.

“The pandemic may have postponed our original request for a community library in this neighbourhood, but it hasn’t diminished the need,” library CEO Lauren Jessop said. “Libraries continue to be a smart investment that strengthen community connections. We’re known for being creative and flexible, but think of what more we could do if we had a dedicated community space. As we recover from the pandemic, a library could really help build the social structure for a stronger Holly.”

The library currently operates branches in the downtown and Painswick areas. However, Holly is expected to see substantial growth within the next few years, with at least 12 possible developments on the city’s radar, she said.

This site would cost about $1.12 million to renovate, about a “fraction” of the construction costs for the Painswick branch a few years ago, and there is potential to expand eventually, library board chair Austin Mitchell said.

“Council has a real opportunity to take advantage of a great space for lease in a busy, walkable area in the heart of the Holly neighbourhood,” he said. “The library has worked hard to find efficiencies and scale back this project to provide a great service at a reasonable price.”

Operating costs would be roughly $850,000 annually.

Jessop said more than 900 people expressed support for a Holly library during public consultation in 2019. The site would likely be utilized most often by families and children.

COVID-19 has highlighted “inequalities” within the city — some residents simply don’t have access to reliable work and educational resources without the library, she said.

This new space would be flexible in design, with easy-to-move bookshelves and furniture, laptops instead of rows of desktop computers, outdoor space behind the building and an item courier service between branches.

“You have really adapted to the restrictions put upon you by COVID-19,” Coun. Natalie Harris said. “The library kind of reinvented (itself). It’s a great location. The kids can go to the library (and) you can go grocery shopping. It’s definitely needed.”

Funding for the proposed branch will be discussed during the city’s upcoming 2021 budget deliberations.

“Whatever our assumptions around the interest of our residents in a facility or service, we’re often surprised by how many people use it,” Mayor Jeff Lehman said. “We know there’s interest. The physical space creates more demand.”