After six-month delay, library ready to unveil downtown renovation
Edmonton’s new downtown library will open to residents on Sept. 17, but visitors will be limited amid COVID-19.
Some lucky residents will be able to attend the opening ceremony through a golden ticket giveaway organized by the Edmonton Public Library (EPL). Starting this Thursday, residents can search for the tickets, hidden at open library branches throughout the city.
The downtown branch, after its $84.5-million renovation, was initially supposed to open Feb. 14, but work fell eight to 10 weeks behind schedule.
The look of the revamped library at the south end of Sir Winston Churchill Square faced significant flak on social media last summer, with many residents comparing it to a tank or a shipping container. The downtown library closed at the end of 2016 for renovations.
EPL chief executive Pilar Martinez said she is proud of the final product and is excited for Edmontonians to step inside.
“We know Edmontonians are extremely eager to see what we’ve been working on for the past three years,” Martinez said in a news release Tuesday morning. “While there have been some mixed reactions on the exterior of our building, we’re extremely proud of our revitalized library and all that we’ve accomplished inside and out. We can’t wait for everyone to experience it for themselves.”
The revitalized space will hold a children’s library three times the size of the former site, an Indigenous gathering space called Thunderbird Lodge as well as a 2,000-square-foot centre for cooking classes. A new “Fresh Finds” collection will feature recommendations from local Edmonton celebrities and throughout the library there will be more than 150,000 items to borrow.
To attend the grand opening, residents will have to delve into the world of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to find one of the hidden golden tickets at an EPL branch. Once a ticket is found, residents are to tell a staff member and then receive the special invitation. The search continues until Sept. 5. Those who don’t win will be able to tune in online for a digital ceremony.
Also, a virtual open house will be held Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in which viewers will be taken on a tour through the new library every half-hour.
Residents will be required to wear a face-covering when visiting the library, as required by the city’s bylaw.
Tickets are also now available online for the opening weekend of the library. Residents can book a 15-minute check-in window for up to four people to visit the library Sept. 17-20.