Calgary’s new Central Library design unveiled

The design of Calgary’s new Central Library was unveiled to an audience of one thousand people Thursday night.

The new library will be located one block east of City Hall in the East Village.

The multi-faceted library will have more than half a million books to browse through and there will be about 240,000 square feet of usable library space – more than double the space of the existing downtown library.

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Councillor Druh Farrell says it’s not just a beautiful design but also a great layout for a library.

“When you go into this new library you will be able to look up and through this gentle sloping spiral staircase, you will be able to see the whole library system laid out before you,” Farrell says.

The $245 million dollar project will also have many large meeting spaces and a theatre.

“We have worked really hard I would say over the last year to have a design that is both buildable and affordable,” said Michael Brown, CEO of Calgary’s Municipal Land Corporation.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We have worked really hard I would say over the last year to have a design that is both buildable and affordable," said Michael Brown, CEO of Calgary's Municipal Land Corporation.

It will also offer special programs for children and teens, a technology commons, laboratory for innovation and a centre that supports inclusive community integration and advancement.

The developers of East Village hope to have the plans approved by spring and the main library open by 2018.