Tag Archives: history

10th Anniversary of Library Closure Announcement

It has been ten years since the past director and previous Board of the Regina Public Library announced the library closures.

KEY FRPL DATES

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 – RPL announced closure of Prince of Wales, Connaught and Glen Elm Branches of the Library, the Dunlop Art Gallery and Prairie History Room.

Sunday, November 30, 2003 – First Friends of the Regina Public Library meeting at RPL Film Theatre.

December 5, 2003 – First FRPL public rally in front of Central Library and then march to City Hall..

December 10, 2003 – Launch of petition at the Cathedral Area Community Association. The petition requested a referendum to ask for sufficient funding to prevent the closures.

On March 5, 2004 – Petition delivered to City Hall, with 26,048 signatures

April 13, 2004 – City Council meeting for the presentation of the Library budget

April 26, 2004 – City Hall demonstration and Council meeting. Amended budget presented keeping libraries at status quo for that year

August, 2004 – New Library Board Chair, announced that all services would be maintained, pending further public consultations

September, 2004 – First FRPL AGM.

 

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Presentation to RPL Board – June 25, 2013

Friends of the Regina Public Library

Presentation to the Regina Public Library Board, June 25, 2013

Friends of the Regina Public Library would like to bring forward some questions about the planning to upgrade Central Library.

1. When will the patron survey be occurring, what type of questions will it ask, how will it be conducted?

2. When will consultations be held on the Central Library? What kind of consultation process will the RPL be using? In addition to the on-line survey, will there be a single public meeting or a series of meetings? How will participants be able to share their views?

3. Will the RPL Board publicly confirm whether it is currently pursuing any options for renovating /adding on to the current library building?

4. Based on public interest that has been expressed, FRPL would like to repeat its request we would request that the architects prepare a design for renovation and expansion of the current Central Library building. From the Building Assessment report this is not only possible, but more cost-effective and would preserve the heritage of the current modernist building.

5. Is the Library Board thinking of submitting a new proposal to the P3 Canada Fund at any time? Would this be done for the June 30, 2013 deadline?

The survey done by FRPL found that there was some awareness about the plans at the time to demolish the Central Library building at Lorne and 12th Ave. and replace it with a multi-use facility containing private businesses in addition to a library. Almost 90 percent of respondents stated that they cared if the Central Library building was demolished. Ninety-nine percent said it was important to them that the Central Library building remains publicly owned. Ninety nine percent were concerned that they had not received details of plans to enter into a public private partnership. The majority of people (79%) were concerned with how the project would affect their taxes.

The Design Regina process has developed the following goals that would also support retaining the heritage of the modernist Central Library building.

Goal #1 – Conserving Heritage and Supporting Cultural Development

Conserve cultural heritage and support cultural development to enhance quality of life and strengthen community identity and cohesion.

8.1 Build partnerships and work collaboratively with community groups, other levels of government, and the private and voluntary sectors to encourage cultural development opportunities.

8.2 Collaborate with partners to encourage awareness and understanding of cultural resources and cultural heritage.

8.3 Identify, evaluate, conserve and enhance cultural heritage to improve quality of life and reinforce a sense of place.

8.4 Develop a framework of representative heritage themes that reflects our cultural identity and the diverse values of residents.

8.5 Ensure that the list of historic places recognized within the Heritage Property Register and Heritage Holding Bylaw adequately represents of the themes in the framework;

8.6 Require a cultural resource and heritage assessment to recognize historic places in new greenfield development and intensification at the City’s discretion;

8.7 Identify, and prioritize and develop locations that provide a sense of arrival and departure into significant cultural landscapes.

8.8 Refine the municipal financial incentive policies and programs to encourage the conservation of historic places.

Goal #4 – Culture and Heritage Planning

Ensure a practice of culture and heritage planning in the city.

8.15 Consider cultural resources and heritage implications in all areas of municipal planning and decision-making.

8.16 Protect, conserve and enhance historic places in accordance with the “Standards and Guidelines for Historic Places in Canada”.

This is an opportunity for the Regina Public library to make a name for itself in respecting heritage and culture to produce a design that would be well-supported in the community and we would hope that you are able to take advantage of this opportunity.

Thank you for the opportunity to make this presentation.

We would be pleased to engage in further discussion on these topics.

Masonic Temple Wins Heritage Award

Saving Regina Masonic Temple brings an award

 By Will Chabun, Leader-Post June 1, 2013

Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/news/Saving+Regina+Masonic+Temple+brings+award+with+gallery/8512624/story.html

Don Ford, president of the board of directors of the Regina Masonic Temple at 1930 Lorne Street in Regina SK on June 11, 2013.  The organization is receiving an award for architectural heritage today in regards to the building´s gorgeous architecture.

Central Library Development Plan – now available

The last of the planning documents related to the upgrade of Central Library has been released.

 Central Library Development Plan (2010).   Available at   http://www.reginalibrary.ca/cld/?q=node/24

The intent of this work is “to identify RPL’s requirements for the proposed Central Library, beginning from the foundation of the Library’s strategic directions documents, and ending with physical planning concepts.”

Please take a look at this document. Very interesting material!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

Background…………………………………………………………………….1-1

Descriptions of the Work Performed…………………………………..1-2

Participants …………………………………………………………………….1-3

SECTION 2 DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS

Introduction …………………………………………………………………….2-1

Strategic Parameters

Introduction……………………………………………………………….2-3

Mission …………………………………………………………………….2-3

Vision……………………………………………………………………….2-3

Values………………………………………………………………………2-3

Service Plan ……………………………………………………………..2-5

Principles ………………………………………………………………….2-8

Role of the Central Library ………………………………………….2-9

Service Delivery Context

Introduction……………………………………………………………..2-13

Background …………………………………………………………….2-13

Social Trends…………………………………………………………..2-14

Trends In Information Management ……………………………2-15

Trends in Technology……………………………………………….2-17

Civic Context …………………………………………………………..2-19

Geography………………………………………………………………2-22

Climate …………………………………………………………………..2-22

History of the Regina Public Library ……………………………2-22

Comparator and Benchmark Libraries ………………………..2-23

Functional Parameters

Introduction……………………………………………………………..2-25

Overall Functional Guidelines ……………………………………2-25

Public Services ………………………………………………………..2-30

Library Infrastructure Services …………………………………..2-44

Other Services and Functions ……………………………………2-47

Physical Parameters

Introduction……………………………………………………………..2-49

Design Objectives ……………………………………………………2-49

Functional Space Types……………………………………………2-58

Gross Space Requirements ………………………………………2-59

Functional Components ……………………………………………2-60

 SECTION 3 SITE AND EXISTING FACILITIES ANALYSIS

Introduction …………………………………………………………………….3-1

Site Analysis …………………………………………………………………..3-2

Existing Facilities Analysis………………………………………………..3-8

Building System Analysis ……………………………………………3-8

Facility Functional Analysis …………………………………………3-8

Resource Planning Group Inc. 2010 January 15

 SECTION 4 MASTER PROGRAM

Introduction …………………………………………………………………….4-1

General Planning Criteria………………………………………………….4-3

Site Design Criteria ……………………………………………………4-3

Building Planning Criteria ………………………………………….4-11

Component Planning Criteria…………………………………………..4-15

Introduction……………………………………………………………..4-15

A. Community Forum and Conference Facility

A1 Concourse/Wintergarden ………………………………4-17

A2 Film Theatre (Auditorium) and Seminar Facility..4-18

B. Library Services

B1 Orientation and Information Services………………4-19

B2 Browsing Library…………………………………………..4-20

B3 Children’s…………………………………………………….4-21

B4 Young Adult’s ………………………………………………4-22

B5 Literacy and Outreach Services ……………………..4-23

B6 Fiction Collection and Services ………………………4-24

B7 Technology Centre, IT and Virtual Services……..4-25

B8 Non-Fiction Collection and Services ……………….4-26

B9 Prairie History Room …………………………………….4-27

B10 Dunlop Art Gallery ………………………………………..4-28

C. Support Services

C1 Library Director’s Office…………………………………4-29

C2 Administration and Staff Amenities …………………4-30

C3 Collections Development, Acquisitions/

Cataloguing & Processing……………………………4-31

C4 Operations and Maintenance …………………………4-32

D. Ancillary Space

D1 Retail and Community Services ……………………..4-33

D2 Long Term Expansion Space…………………………4-34

E. General Support Space

E1 Parking ……………………………………………………….4-35

 SECTION 5 PHYSICAL PLAN

Introduction …………………………………………………………………….5-1

Process to Develop Planning Options ………………………………..5-2

Objectives/Terms of Reference for Planning……………………….5-3

Unconstrained Library Building Layout on

Unconstrained Site …………………………………………………….5-4

Contextual Layouts ………………………………………………………….5-7

Option 1 – Stand-Alone Library……………………………………5-7

Option 2 – Library Integrated with

Comprehensive Development………………………………….5-9

Resource Planning Group Inc. 2010 January 15

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Regina Public Library – Central Branch Interim

Existing Facility Analysis (P3A Architecture) ………………..A1

Appendix B: Layout Options ……………………………………………..B1

RPL P3 Canada application available

In June 2011 the RPL applied to the P3 Canada (Public Private Partnership) fund for the large redevelopment of Central Library Building.  The application form has finally been made publicly available on the RPL website.  http://www.reginalibrary.ca/cld/?q=node/23 and is available on the FRPL website. Regina Public Library – Application Form with Supplementary Notes – Round 3

The RPL has since withdrawn this application from the  P3 Canada fund process, because the Masonic Temple property was not available. But it is still very useful to read it for the plans that were there, since aspects may be used in the next design for Central Library.

Is it possible that they might reapply in the future?

Central Library Building Assessment – please review

It’s very important to take a close look at what is being said about the Central Library building! The RPL is planning consultations about new designs in March and people should be well-informed and prepared for these consultations.  The RPL Board continues to say that the building is old and needs to be replaced. Please forward thoughts or comments you have to FRPL.

The Building Assessment about the condition of Central Library building
that FRPL has been requesting for a while has finally been made available on the RPL website http://www.reginalibrary.ca/cld/?q=node/22 and is also available here. Building%20Assessment%20Summary%20-%20201206

This document has some critical statements about the condition of the building and the potential for adaptive re-use.

“This report was originally prepared in 2009 and has been updated to
reflect the master Program prepared by Resource Planning Group. The
report consists of a facility analysis by P3A as Architects, JC Kenyon
Engineering- Structural, MacPherson Engineering- Mechanical, Ritenburg
and Associates- Electrical, Resource Planning Group- Library Programming
and Functionality. The report reflects the requirements of the Regina
Public Library from a technical and functional perspective and reviews
issues related to building re-use.”

50 years! Modernist Central RPL: Wednesday, Dec 5th@ 7:30: an architectural walking tour

Wednesday December 5, 2012, 7:30 p.m. – Central Library

Friends of the Regina Public Library would like to celebrate the official opening day, 50 years ago, of the Izumi-designed modernist Central Library by inviting the public to join us in a walking tour of Central Library. People are invited to talk about a specific part of the architecture of Central Library that touches them, a special place within the library that they love, or a library service that they could not live without. We welcome contributions from the audience.

RPL Central opening 1962 - program cover

RPL Central opening 1962 – program cover

See the original stylishly cool programme (with details on space for future expansion) for inspiration!! RPL50thAnniversary -original opening program in 1962   Also note the star-studded list of presenters at the event.

For a poster to publicize the event click here Celebrate 50 yrs Central Library – poster Nov 25

Don Kerr presentation June 13, 7pm

Please join us for an evening with Saskatchewan Poet Laureate, Don Kerr

Doors open at 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at The Artesian 2627 13th Avenue, Regina. Everyone is welcome to this public meeting sponsored by Friends of the Regina Public Library. Donations gratefully accepted.

Don Kerr is a strong advocate of public libraries and heritage conservation. He is the author of A Book in Every Hand, which celebrates the history of public libraries and chronicles the struggles and triumphs of this world-class, made-in-Saskatchewan achievement. Don taught English at the University of Saskatchewan for forty years. He has written short stories, non-fiction, poetry and produced five plays. Don Kerr has worked for architectural preservation and has served on many organizations dedicated to culture and the arts.

The evening will include an update on the Library Board’s proposed redevelopment of Central Library and a public discussion of this plan.

For more information call 535-9570

Poster FRPL_Jun13_mini_poster