SAYWARD, B.C. – The new Sayward library has taken an important step towards construction.
On April 5th, 2 Hills Renovations, a Campbell River-based construction firm, was awarded the contract to build the new library for the Village.
Vancouver Island Regional Library’s executive director Rosemary Bonanno called it an exciting day for Sayward.
“With the contract now awarded and construction soon to start, the entire Sayward Valley can look forward to a state-of-the-art library for many years to come,” Bonanno said.
“I would like to thank Sayward Council for giving up their Council Chambers to allow for a temporary library for the better part of the past two years.”
A construction start date and timeline will be made available once VIRL receives it from 2 Hills.
“Council has been committed to this project from day one,” Sayward Mayor John MacDonald said.
“For capital projects of this size and scope, there are many moving parts and milestones before construction can start.”
MacDonald thanked residents for their understanding throughout the process.
“Your patience is being rewarded with your new full-service library,” he added.
According to a release, the plan for the new library encompasses all aspects of the project, including construction, furniture, IT infrastructure, and more.
Once built, Sayward the library will include the following features and amenities:
- 2,100 square feet of floor space;
- expanded hours of operation;
- a larger opening day collection with many new materials;
- an expanded program schedule;
- a laptop bar;
- study space; and
- a bookable space.
A Prototype for Other Rural Builds
The release notes that the cost-effectiveness and scalability of the Sayward branch design means that VIRL now has a prototype model that can be replicated in other rural communities in need of new libraries.
The 2,100 square foot model being built in Sayward can be scaled up or down depending on a community’s size and service needs.
The release notes that the prototype approach will help VIRL deliver on the commitments to our rural communities set out in the Consolidated Facilities Master Plan.
