The Millennium Library will begin a “phased service resumption” starting Friday following a man’s stabbing death earlier this month.
The Donald Street library will be open for holds, pick-ups and returns starting at 10 a.m. Friday, the city said in a release Thursday.
The library is expected to fully reopen with additional security measures in place by mid-January, following what the city is calling a “comprehensive risk assessment and safety audit.”
“Our libraries need to be welcoming places for all Winnipeggers, and that begins by ensuring the safety of staff and visitors,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham in a statement.
“We also need to look at how changes at Millennium Library fit within the overall approach to improving downtown safety.”
The branch has been closed since Dec. 11 when 28-year-old Tyree Cayer was fatally stabbed at the library.
Police have charged four teenage boys in connection with Cayer’s death.
Three teens aged 14, 15, and 16 have each been charged with manslaughter. Another 14-year-old boy is facing second-degree murder charges.
In Thursday’s release, the city said it is meeting with various stakeholders, including staff, union representatives and a community working group to come up with “appropriate changes to create a safer experience for staff and visitors, while still keeping the library accessible and welcoming for all.”
That includes looking at a permanent redesign of the library’s lobby to include “a controlled environment without the use of hostile architecture.”
“The Millennium Library is so important to many people, and introducing measures to ensure it remains safe and open to all users is critical,” said Coun. John Orlikow, chair of city hall’s community services committee.
“The first phase allows for some library services to resume while work continues on a full-service resumption plan.”
The city says the library’s lobby will remain open for skywalk and parkade access, and for the public to warm up through the phased reopening.
The library had implemented security procedures — including checking patrons’ bags for weapons, alcohol and other prohibited items — in 2019, but the measures were eventually phased out following protests.
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