Statements to Library Board – citizens speak

The following have been submitted to the Regina Public Library Board for their September 27, 2022 meeting, where they propose to vote to demolish Central Library and rebuild.

Friends of the Regina Public Library FRPL to RPL Board Sept 20, 2022 – final to RPL

Florence Stratton Library Board, Central Library

Jeannie Mah RPL Board Central Library Renewal Sept 27 2022

Jim Elliott Letter to RPL Board – September 27, 2022

Jim Holmes Jim Holmes to RPL Board Sept 27, 2022

John Bishop John Bishop – Outreach Room – Sept. 20, 2022 – to RPL Board – rev

Lorne Beug Lorne Beug for RPL Board meeting on 27th Sept 2022

Mark Wihak MW RPL Board letter Sept 2022 3

Robin Clark Letter _ RPL Central Branch

Shawne Arzab Shawne Arzab to RPL Board Sept 20, 2022 final

Reports on Central Library now available

The reports on the future of Central Library are available on the Regina Public Library website.

Central Library Renewal overview https://www.reginalibrary.ca/about/major-projects

Central Library Renewal recent developments and reports https://cld.reginalibrary.ca/

Central Library Reports dating back to 2009 https://cld.reginalibrary.ca/?q=node/18

Note that in August of 2022, 5 reports from 2010 to 2015 were listed, including the “RPL P3 Canada Fund: Round Three Application” of 2011. On September 16, 2022 sixteen reports were listed, minus the P3 Fund application. Twelve reports were made available for the first time. These reports dated back as far as 2009.

It is good to have these reports now.

But why were these reports not made available to the public earlier on?

Mayor supports more time to review Central Library’s future

On CBC Morning Edition this morning Mayor Masters agreed that 4 days is not enough time for the public to consider the RPL decision pending on Sept. 27 to demolish the Central Library and rebuild, and at the upcoming Board meeting she would suggest more time for public review.

Please make a submission to the RPL Board by Sept. 20 for their Sept. 27th meeting to voice your views on the future of the building and the need for more time for the public to review RPL report recommendations, available on Sept. 16.

See details on how to respond in the post below.

Central teardown decision and ways to respond

The RPL presented an update about the future of Central Library to the City of Regina Executive Committee at 9 am on Wed Sept 7th. The RPL Board had looked at 7 options, but they were not shared with the public. Without obtaining public views on the options, the RPL Board decided to tear down the current Central Library and build a new one. But the RPL’s vote will not be made until their Sept. 27 Board meeting.

People can view the RPL reports about Central Library at the RPL website on Friday Sept. 16 sometime after 12 noon. https://www.reginalibrary.ca/about/leadership/board-meetings-2022

A request to make a presentation and written submissions must be in to the RPL by 12 Noon on Tuesday Sept. 20. (Please follow instructions exactly, phone the RPL if you have any doubts or questions. They are extremely strict about their rules.) https://www.reginalibrary.ca/about/leadership/presenting-to-the-board Specify that you want your submission to go to all of the Board members. And specifically state that you want to make a presentation on Sept. 27th.

Presentations and letters about Central’s future

The following letters were submitted to the City of Regina Executive Committee’s meeting on September 7, 2022, where the RPL made their proposal to tear down the current Central Library building and build a new building.

FRPL news release FRPL News Release – Sept 6, 2022 final

FRPL (letter sent in, presentation made) FRPL to Regina Exec Ctte Sept 1, 2022 – final

Florence Stratton (letter sent in, presentation made) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CENTRAL LIBRARY

Jeannie Mah  (letter sent in, presentation made) RPL + Central Library_ Sept 7, 2022

Jim Elliott  (letter sent in, presentation made) EX22-82 Jim Elliott

Shawne Arzab (letter sent in)Shawne Arzab to Regina Exec Ctte Sept 1, 2022 final

Central Library Proposal Sept 7 at City Executive Committee

The Regina Public Library Board will present its proposal about the future of Central Library at 9 am on Wed Sept 7th

Direct link to Agenda http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=14&ID=4610&Inline=True

Direct link to the PDF that contains the RPL proposal and citizen presentations    http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=4610&Inline=True

First the RPL will make its presentation, then the citizens will make their presentations. RPL presentation (pages 189 to 208).

Delegations – EX22-82 (presentations) 

• Joanne Havelock, Friends of the Regina Public Library

• Jim Elliott

• Barbara McNeil

• Florence Stratton

• Jeannie Mah

Communications
– Letters were sent in by:

  • Joanne Havelock, Friends of the Regina Public Library (pages 17 to 19),
  • Jim Elliott (page 20) plus RPL Building Assessment Report (pages 21 to 185 including RPL Modernization, Order of Magnitude Cost Estimate pages 155 to 185).
  • Shawne Arzab (pages 186-187)
  • Florence Stratton (but not included in this agenda)

You can attend the meeting in person. Or, the meeting will be broadcast through the City of Regina’s meeting portal and through Access Communications  See details on this page  http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx  (City Council meetings are usually broadcast on Access channel 7 TV, but Committee meetings are not usually broadcast on TV, so watch online or attend in person.)

In future, if you go to the City website, the link  http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx is to the meeting portal of the City of Regina. Scroll down, identify the meeting, and select Agenda, Agenda Packet, live video of the meeting, minutes, recorded video of meeting.

Also, at any time you can send in letters to the City Clerks clerks@regina.ca to pass on to the Councillors, and email or phone City Councillors directly.

FRPL AGM 2021 Oct 23

FRPL AGM 1:00 pm Sat. Oct 23. Zoom and phone-in options. In-person at Access Communications Boardroom. People must be double vaccinated and wear masks. Please preregister by emailing frpl (at) sasktel.net or phoning or texting (306) 535-9570.

Lots of interesting updates and discussion about library services and trends, future of Central Library, FRPL future activities. Hope you can join us!

Central Library – update

Central Library will NOT be on the RPL Board’s June 22 agenda – the RPL Board is waiting for reports from the consultants. Their next regularly scheduled Board meeting is September 28. It is not know if Central Library will be on the agenda or if or when a special meeting could be called.

However, this is still a good time, before decisions are made, for people to put in some efforts to support the retention of the modernist building and ensure full public involvement in any decisions made

Please go ahead and:
– Let FRPL know your thoughts
– Email or write to the RPL Board
– Contact Regina’s Mayor and City Councillors

Please email or phone FRPL if you have an interest regarding Central Library
– Share ideas or information
– Research examples of modernist library buildings
– Assist with planning ways to inform the public
– Other suggestions …..

Central Library – June 22 Decisions

The future of Reginas modernist Central Library, may be decided at the RPL Board meeting on June 22, 2021.

A report from Colliers Project Leaders and KPMG to the RPL Board, is expected to be on the RPL Board agenda on June 22, 2021; a draft agenda will be posted on Friday June 11 at https://www.reginalibrary.ca/about/leadership/board-meetings-2021. The deadline for: 1. A submission; and, 2. a request to make a presentation to the Board which must be clearly stated in your email to the Board and in your submission, would be Wednesday June 16 at 12 Noon. See the precise rules for making a submission here, which must be followed.  https://www.reginalibrary.ca/about/leadership/presenting-to-the-board

See more information at https://friendsofrpl.ca/central-branch-2021

Provincial library funding

FRPL has sent a letter to the Saskatchewan Minister of Education encouraging an increase in funding to the provincial library system. We are also asking for a report and list of actions resulting from the recent provincial library review. https://friendsofrpl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/frpl-to-hon.-dustin-duncan-mar-22-2021-final.pdf