New Library Planned For South Walkerville

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Plans are in the works to expand the current parking lot at the Optimist community centre, to go along with a planned new library branch.

The new Optimist Library project is currently in the conceptual design phase with the preferred design of the addition at the west side of the community centre, set back from the road.

In order for the addition of the library to be located on the west side of the centre and for the new parking area, parks planners say the park will need several modifications.

A cricket pitch, located immediately south of the community centre, has its current boundaries abutting the south west comer of the community centre.  The pitch would have to be moved, with the field of play directed away from the community centre and library.

There is a hard surface area that was previously the concrete pad for the former outdoor ice rink west of the community centre.  In recent years, this area has been used by the community centre and the neighbourhood for various sports activities such as basketball and ball hockey. It is proposed to construct a proper hard surface area south of the new proposed parking lot.

There is an existing building that had been part of the outdoor ice rink that was formally located on the site.  Windsor Central Little League currently rents the building to support the operation of the league. The building is primarily used for storage. In 2004 the league obtained a Trillium grant and contributed additional funds through their fundraising efforts to complete improvements to the building including washrooms and a snack bar.

The building is in the proposed location of the parking area for the community centre and library and will need to be removed.  The parks department committed to replacing the building with another building located closer to the ball diamond area by relocating and re purposing an underutilized steel structure located in the woodlot area. The relocated structure would be closed in a¡d include hydro to allow for storage and a snack bar.

Temporary washrooms would also be located ion the park, with plans to construct news washrooms in the near future attached to the library addition.

The proposed new parking lot, combined with the existing lot east of the community centre, and the lot next to the ball diamonds will provide approximately 204 parking spaces.

Should council approve the new parking lot and funding, construction on the new addition is expected to start in the fall and last until December 2017.