Rimbey citizens will have an opportunity to get clear on the facts regarding a proposed library expansion at an upcoming public meeting.
The meeting, May 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Rimbey Community Centre, will provide information as to why the library needs to move, costs involved and potential sites.
“There’s a lot of misinformation floating around,” said librarian Jean Keetch. “We really want people to get the facts.”
Keetch said there is a misconception among the public as to where the library can move.
“People keep thinking we can move to all sorts of places. We can’t,” she said.
She said it has been suggested the library could move into Al Inglis’s building on the south side of Main Street. However, she explained the 4,000 square-foot building is too small.
“It is nowhere near the space we need,” she said.
The library cannot move to the top floor of the Provincial Building or the community centre due to regulations regarding the structure of the foundation.
There is space at the Co-op, she noted, but at $60,000 a year for rent, it is too expensive.
She said renovations could be made to the town office to accommodate the library for under $5,000.
“We didn’t get a grant we had applied for, but we always had a plan B. It would be an inefficient manager not to have a plan B.”
Keetch encourages the public to come to the meeting.
“It will be a better way to get information than from letters to the editor written by people who have their own agenda.”