Don’t Mess with Our Library!

Wilma Kenny | Jan 26, 2022

Community support of the Sydenham Library (a branch of the KFPL, known to be the most heavily used of all the branches in Frontenac County outside the City) has been heard and respected by South Frontenac Council.

At December 14 Committee of the Whole, staff recommended Council approve seeking a consultant to conduct a feasibility study of five options for expanding the Township Administration’s office and meeting room space. Three of the five options recommended by staff involved use of some or all of the current KFPL building in Sydenham. Some Council members mentioned concern about diminishing or moving the library: Councillor McDougall spoke in strong defence of maintaining the library as it is, noting that it was purpose-designed by an award-winning team of library architects. The community’s reaction to this threat to their library was strong, swift and vocal.

At South Frontenac’s Tuesday Jan 25 meeting, Mayor Vandewal brought a Notice of Motion regarding a change to the Administration Office Expansion Feasibility Study that would remove all three options referring to the library.(A notice of motion, if seconded, immediately becomes a motion for debate and decision.)

Mayor Vandewal proposed to direct staff to remove options 2,3 & 4, leaving only two options for the consultant’s assessment: expanding to the rear of the current building, or constructing satellite offices nearby. Vandewal said he had “received several comments and concerns about this and the Township has received several emails opposed to utilizing all or a portion of the Sydenham Library for municipal administration purposes or as a shared facility.”