Haligonians have a better picture for the future of the downtown Memorial Library after Halifax Regional Council declassified a report on Tuesday that proposed a possible revitalization of the out-of-service building.
Council voted 13 to 3 to pass the report, which directs Jacques Dubé, the municipality’s chief administrative officer, to develop a proposal for the redevelopment of the library building in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia and Dalhousie University.
The goal would be to include a public atrium, educational space, Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) offices and commercial and retail space in the redeveloped building.
The CAO has also been directed to include an analysis of a possible Public-Private-Partnership (P3) for the redevelopment as well as the HRM doing it on its own.
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The library closed in August 2014 as the municipality transitioned to the new Halifax Central Library across the street.
Despite the property returning to the control of the Nova Scotia government and many proposals pitched on possible uses, the Memorial Library has remained empty ever since.
The report in front of council has indicated that the province has now told the HRM that they no longer need the property, allowing for the municipality to lead a possible redevelopment effort.
However, the province has attached a number of conditions to a possible redevelopment — including that they will not bear any costs related to changes for the site.
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The city says an archaeological resource impact assessment will need to be carried out on the site, which may have human remains dating back to the founding of Halifax, buried underneath it.
Some councillors chafed at the many restrictions from the province, saying they have had enough of the province passing off projects to the municipality.
“It’s tempting to go and get that staff report,” said Tim Outhit, councillor for Bedford-Wentworth. “But every once in a while, folks, we have to step back and say ‘no.'”
Mayor Mike Savage and other councillors voted in favour of requesting a staff report, saying it’s time that something happened to an empty building in the heart of downtown Halifax.
“We have to start figuring out what we’re going to do with this piece of land.”
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The initial design suggests the building — when redeveloped – would increase its current 40,000 square feet of space to approximately 85,000 square feet, with the modifications costing between $20 million and $30 million.
The staff report on a possible redevelopment of the Memorial Library will return to council in 2019 and would include a recommendation as well as possible financial implications.
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