Tag Archives: modernist

PPP Canada Launches Fifth Call for Applications

It is still very possible that the RPL Board will apply to this fund, soon or in the future.

 ———From the P3 Canada Fund <Info@p3canada.ca>, April 15, 2013——–

 PPP CANADA LAUNCHES ROUND FIVE OF THE P3 CANADA FUND

Round Five to focus on projects that develop the Canadian P3 market

Ottawa, Ontario, April 15, 2013 – Today, PPP Canada launched the Round Five call for proposals for the P3 Canada Fund.

Canada has become a world leader in P3 procurement and the Government of Canada is committed to supporting the further development of the Canadian P3 market by encouraging provinces, territories, First Nations and municipalities to consider the P3 model in delivering their public infrastructure priorities. As part of this commitment, PPP Canada’s focus in Round Five will be on public infrastructure projects that promote jobs and stimulate economic growth.

“Last year, we were very encouraged by the quality and viability of the applications we received,” said John McBride, CEO of PPP Canada. “Under Round Five, we will continue to look for applications that deliver optimal Value for Money by demonstrating substantial involvement by the private sector throughout the project’s life cycle.”

Once again, PPP Canada will give priority to public infrastructure projects in the following priority areas: transportation; water/wastewater; solid waste disposal; and brownfield redevelopment of contaminated sites. In addition, PPP Canada will give priority to projects that create optimal Value for Money, taking into account the qualitative and quantitative factors, and that include long-term financing (i.e. DBFOM).

To date, the Government of Canada has announced P3 Canada Fund commitments toward 15 P3 projects across Canada, totaling over $715 million to projects with more than $3.2 billion in capital costs. Further announcements are expected in the coming months.

PPP Canada works with other levels of government to promote the effective use of P3s through P3 knowledge sharing, capacity building and the strategic use of the P3 Canada Fund. By offering advice and expertise to its clients, PPP Canada ensures proper due diligence is followed across all stages of the project development life cycle. The result is a well-structured procurement that is well planned and follows best practices ensuring transparency, fairness and competiveness.

About PPP Canada and the P3 Canada Fund

 PPP Canada has a mandate to improve and increase the delivery of public infrastructure by achieving better value, timeliness and accountability to taxpayers, through P3s.

PPP Canada acts as a leading source on P3 matters through knowledge development and sharing. In addition, the Corporation provides expertise and advice in assessing and executing P3 opportunities at the federal level as well as leveraging greater Value for Money from federal investments in provincial, territorial, municipal and First Nations infrastructure through the P3 Canada Fund.

The P3 Canada Fund is a merit based program, designed to incent the use of P3 procurement in delivering public infrastructure projects. Eligible projects can receive up to 25% of the direct cost of construction supported through non-repayable contributions, repayable contributions, loans or loan guarantees. The $1.2 billion is committed over a 5 year period starting 2009/10 and is allocated to PPP Canada on an annual basis, subject to approval by Parliament. The Government of Canada recently announced in Budget 2013 its commitment to renew the P3 Canada Fund by an additional $1.25 billion beginning in 2014.

Round Five:  Information for Applicants

To assist Round Five applicants in preparing their submissions to the P3 Canada Fund, PPP Canada has developed an Application Guide which provides detailed information of the Fund’s eligibility criteria and evaluation process and detailed instructions on how to prepare a submission. In addition, PPP Canada has created a P3 Business Case Development Guide which outlines the necessary steps to the development of a comprehensive and robust P3 business case. Project sponsors whose applications are retained for further analysis will be required to follow this Guide in preparing their Business Case for submission. Both Guides are available for download on PPP Canada’s website at www.p3canada.ca.

The application deadline is June 14, 2013 in order to be considered under Round Five. All interested applicants are encouraged to contact PPP Canada or their designated contact, identified in the Application Guide, to discuss the viability of their project before submitting an application.

PPP Canada, Attn: P3 Canada Fund, Round Five, 100 Queen Street, Suite 630, Ottawa, ON, K1P 1J9,  1-877-947-9480, pppadministration@p3canada.ca

For further information on PPP Canada and the Government of Canada P3 Canada Fund investments visit: www.p3canada.ca

 For media inquiries, contact:media@p3canada.ca or 613-947-9480/1-877-947-9480

Friends Call for Renovation Design for Central Library

NEWS RELEASE: Monday March 25, 2013

REGINA, SK — The Friends of the Regina Public Library (FRPL) are calling for a design for Central Library that is based on renovations and additions, rather than demolishing the current building.

After many months of requesting that material be made public, the Friends’ efforts were successful when the RPL Board gradually released documents related to the Central Library between October 25, 2012 and February 14, 2013. “Some of this material is more than two years old, and we don’t understand why it couldn’t have been released earlier,” said Joanne Havelock of FRPL. “However, we are glad to have it available to the public now.”

“We appreciate that considerable effort has been put into the planning documents and although the original design that came out in 2011 will not be implemented, many of the concepts will be carried forward into the next design,” said Havelock. “There are both interesting and controversial ideas in the Development Plan and the public needs time to review and understand these options.”

FRPL is asking that print copies be made available at each of the library branches.

On Sunday February 24, 2013 FRPL held a public meeting to draw attention to those reports and encourage people to examine their contents. Some key questions came forward at this meeting.

The Library Board had said that it would be holding consultations in March, 2013, but this has not occurred. FRPL would like to know when the consultations will occur and what kind of consultation process will be used. In addition to proposed phone and on-line surveys, will there be a single public meeting or a series of meetings? How will participants be able to share their views?

Participants were surprised that the Development Plan did not include an option for renovation and/or expansion of the current Central Library Building. A survey conducted by FRPL found that Regina residents were quite concerned that the building could be demolished. FRPL is asking the RPL Board to 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 modern

FRPL would also like to RPL Board to clarify whether it will be submitting a new proposal to the P3 Canada Fund and whether this would be done for the June 30, 2013 deadline. The FRPL survey found that residents felt that the library building should remain publicly-owned.

FRPL will be making a presentation to the Library Board at 4:30 pm on Tuesday March 26, 2013 at the RPL Boardroom, second floor of Central Library.

Presentation to RPL Board, March 26, 2013 FRPL to RPL Board re March 26, 2013 mtg – final

 

 

Residents Want Central Library to Stay

NEWS RELEASE:  Monday March 18, 2013  “Residents Want Library Building to Stay”

REGINA, SK — The Friends of the Regina Public Library (FRPL) are releasing the results of a survey taken to gain opinions about potential upgrading of Central Library.  The survey found that:

  • Over half (62%) of the participants were aware of the plans 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. Over 60 percent cared a lot.
  • 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.

 

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.”

Central Library – the Focus for 2013

At the RPL’s AGM on Tuesday January 8, 2013 the RPL Chair noted that work on Central Library would be the main focus of the upcoming year.

Gerry Kleisinger asked that the Library Board would appreciate receiving a presentation from the Library Director about “What will the 21st century library look like?”

The Library Director anticipates that the two remaining documents about Central Library redevelopment will be put on the RPL website later this week. These would be a document about the state of the Central Library building and the space needs for the library. The RPL is also planning to do a survey on its website. They are planning to do a public consultation once they have developed new plans for Central Library. This may occur in March.

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

Central Library architectural document posted

After repeated requests from FRPL for release of this information to the public, the document prepared by architects concerning the upgrade to Central Library have just been posted at http://www.reginalibrary.ca/cld/

To view all the pages on the site, click on the Quick Links below as well as the links at the top of the webpage.

Or link to the document here Feasibility Study Report – Final – 2011

 

No Plan, No P3 for Library

NEWS RELEASE: Wednesday June 27, 2012

“No Plan, No P3 for Library”

REGINA — The Friends of the Regina Public Library were astonished Tuesday afternoon to hear that the Regina Public Library now has no plan for the rejuvenation of Central Library.

The Regina Public Library Board disclosed it had spent about $400,000 on feasibility and design studies, which became largely useless when the Masons declined to sell their neighbouring building. The work apparently provided no alternative plans, according to the Library Board Chair.

While the Friends would like to retain the existing Central Library building for heritage and environmental reasons, the need for some major renovations is pressing. There is a need for new elevators, a new heating system, a functioning accessibility ramp and many other upgrades.

“We find it troubling that is no alternate plan. These problems have been documented for many years,” said Jim Holmes, member of the Friends of the RPL.

The Library did commit to release the report detailing the reasons why the Board feels that the Central Library needs to double in size.

The Friends were happy to hear the Library Board has abandoned a public-private partnership (P3) for the Central Library. Chairperson Darlene Hincks Joehnck claimed the Friends would never understand P3’s but evidently she understands them well enough to know it is not a good idea for the Regina Public Library.

Without a plan, the Board does not foresee any public consultations over the summer.

“We are pleased that the Library Board has informed us that it will not be pressing for quick decisions and holding hasty consultations during the summer, a time when it is difficult for the public to participate,” said Joanne Havelock, Chair of the Friends. The Friends are hoping this means there will be no decisions made on Central Library until after the October Civic Elections.

The news was revealed at an RPL Board meeting held on Tuesday, June 26 after repeated requests from the Friends for information about planning for Central Library.

Plan B at Library Board June 26

We are before the Regina Public Library Board again on Tuesday, June 26th at 4:30 pm to ask the Library Board more questions.
This is their last public meeting until the Fall. 
Please consider coming out and seeing what they have to say. 
Arrive early as there is limited seating and the meeting starts promptly at 4:30 pm.  The Board meeting is in the 2nd Floor Boardroom of the Central Library.