Francine Bastien
In 1893, the contract for the construction of Pettes Library was awarded. A year later the building, as we know it today, was inaugurated.
In 2018, the first plans of the expansion project were completed. Seven years later, the final plans and financing are still work in progress. What started as an estimated $3.5M project will now, despite a reduction of the footprint of the plans of the original project, come in over $6M. Final costs won’t be known until 2026 when construction tenders come in. Of course, the pandemic played a role and with time passing “the Library could see that it meant costs increase’’ says Pettes Board president Jane Livingston in an interview with Tempo.
“We had to cut the design – the footprint –of the building by 33% to stay within managing costs” she adds. Then there were the required studies such as archeological, environmental, engineering, etc., studies that added time and costs to the planning. “The goal is to provide more user-friendly services and community space to groups in multipurpose rooms, ’’ says Pettes director Jana Valasek. The reduced size of the projected building does not mean “elimination of services, it means having a room for 45 people rather than 80 people for example,’’ adds J. Livingston.
“Opening the library to the park is still an important element of the new library. It is terribly important to ensure cohesion between the inside and the outside of the building.’’ The design of the expansion, although not available yet, will look different from the prefeasibility study that was presented in 2020. Time is money “The whole process has been very frustrating,’’ explains J. Valasek. “In hindsight, we wish it could have been faster. The community has been very generous, our volunteer board worked hard and the involvement from the Town is incredible; Brome-Missisquoi MNA Isabelle Charest was supportive from day one.” “It is important that the provincial government be a part of this’’ adds J. Livingston “we are a library open to every one. It is people’s money and that is importantto the whole community.’’
The long delays meant that a $750,000 grant form the federal government was cancelled because construction could not start within the timeframe set by the grant. “We expect the federal government to be part of the funding for the new programs that the enhanced library will allow’’ explains Livingston. “The new library is not just about books but about new space and community activities for all age groups.’’
The Library project is important to the town and especially to Mayor Richard Burcombe. In an interview with Tempo the mayor said he was not surprised. “It’s like the dam, we had all the authorizations in and it took close to a year to get a document signed. Government is a slow process. The willingness of the government
is behind the project; I feel pretty certain that the Library will get the grant.”
And now?
All eyes are now set on April 2025 when Pettes will learn if it has secured the $2M grant from Quebec. That will get a new process of tenders going for architects, builders, etc. In May 2026, the final costs will be in and the construction can then start. And if all goes according to plan, the new Pettes will be inaugurated at the end of 2027 at the end of a very long and frustrating journey.
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