LIBRARY ISSUE REQUIRES ‘SOBER SECOND THOUGHT’

When the clock runs out in a few days, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) and a local developer will have been studying a waterfront library project for threeand-a-half years.

Several months ago, council addressed the library issue in a public forum where its support for that plan seemed lacklustre at best. And rightly so. Being a faithful reader of the Cape Breton Post’s letters section, it seems to me that a waterfront site for the library has not been a popular choice with many people. While the local Chamber of Commerce, different associations and the like have been strong supporters of the waterfront location, many individuals have either clearly opted for a downtown site in Sydney or did not indicate a preference for the waterfront.

There’s also some support for a revitalized McConnell Memorial Library. Even other library groups, while supporting a new facility, made no mention of location. In short, it’s time for at least some sober second thought on the issue. We all know technology is creating new vistas for library users and that is great. But there has to be space for a comfortable chair and a bit of peace and quiet.

And the facility has to be for the people who own it and are comfortable in it. If the Port of Sydney is someday bustling with visitors and tourists and some feel like checking out our new (let’s say downtown library) that’s OK.

It’s ours, for us, but we will be happy to show it off.

Frank King

Sydney River