Former library branch gets $2.5-M makeover
Official unsure if Thomson name will stand
A beloved library branch shuttered almost a decade ago as part of a scheme to redirect funds to new libraries in Calgary’s fast-growing suburbs is undergoing a $2.5-million facelift to become part office space, part community space — though it’s unclear whether its historic name will survive the makeover.
The former Georgina Thomson library at 51 Cornell Rd. N.W. was stripped of its books in late 2003 and used a storage depot for the Calgary Public Library.
Its closure was the direct result of a city council order for library officials to find costefficiencies and allocate funds toward larger libraries serving residents in the city’s newer neighbourhoods.
“That was at a time when older communities were losing a lot of their amenities,” said Ward 7 Ald. Druh Farrell, who frequented the Georgina Thomson library as a kid growing up in the area.
“We were debating closing the outdoor pools, some grocery stores were closing, and schools were closing,” said Farrell. “It was a difficult time for a number of communities.”
Residents decried the decision to close the branch, named after a school teacher who worked for the Calgary Public Library from 1923 to 1957.
The city’s smallest branch at the time of its closure in 2003, the library served roughly 8,000 people in the area.
Library officials’ plan at the time had called for smaller branches to be phased out in favour of larger branches that served at least 40,000 people.
In 2003, the Calgary Public Library said the Georgina Thomson branch attracted only 2,600 users, cost $392,000 to operate and would require $1.165 million in upgrades. It was closed and used by the library as a storage facility for almost 10 years.
“That wasn’t the optimal use for the building,” said Sharon Purvis, the city’s director of corporate properties.
Now, with the library storing its items in another warehouse, the little brick and mortar building is undergoing a $2.5-million renovation that will serve as a space for the city’s community and neighbourhood services staff, as well as a multi-purpose room for the community.
The design of the community room has not been finalized, but will be flexible enough to suit various needs, such as public meetings and classes, said Purvis.
“Essentially it was a building that was past its lifecycle,” said Purvis. “From a functional point of view we had to make changes so that it suited the administrative and the public meeting space requirements, as well as the building code.”
Purvis said city staff will begin moving into the building shortly after construction, which includes extensive work on the roof, windows, electrical system and adjacent parking lot, is finished this May.
Yet, it’s still unknown whether the building will retain its name.
“We have to decide because calling it ‘The Former Georgina Thomson Library Building’ doesn’t necessarily work,” said Purvis. “So I don’t have an answer on that.”
For Farrell, the decision is a no-brainer.
“She was a significant Calgarian,” said Farrell. “I don’t see any reason to change the name. It’s a landmark building, the community recognizes it.”