Central Library Project Display & Feedback

Throughout the month of November and December, information will be on display at the Main Library (85 Queen Street North) showing architectural renderings of our renovated and expanded Central Library. The display also features information about our shared three-story underground parking garage, and the proposed Urban Square located adjacent to the Central Library site.

Your opinion matters!

Feedback forms are available with our display and we invite you to share your thoughts on our designs.

You can also view our schemtic designs online and learn more about our project by visiting our Central Library Project website at www.kpl.org/central

You can email your comments to our project team at: kitchenerpubliclibrary@kpl.org

Public Open House Update

The Library, our Architect Team, and our Civic District partners recently hosted two Open House opportunities to share schematic designs of our renovated and expanded library and shared parking garage.

The public and local media packed the Main Library’s presentation room on Tuesday, November 3rd, to view our schematic designs and hear a presentation from our project Architects. The evening event also included a presentation about our shared underground parking complex, along with an update on a proposed future Urban Square as part of a long-term Civic District Vision. The response to our library designs from the enthusiastic crowd in attendance was overwhelmingly positive.

On Saturday, November 7th, Library Board Members and staff were also at the Kitchener Market throughout the day with project information and displays of our new schematic designs. Hundreds of interested market-goers stopped at the library’s display to learn more about the project and provide feedback. Once again, the public response was overwhelmingly positive. Many commented on how much they liked the new designs and appreciated how the architects were able to create a stunning and fresh new look, while at the same time, retain much of the buildings original architectural character. The stunning glass panels that accent the building, along with the reading nooks they create around the library perimeter, were particularly well received.

Visit our Central Library Project website at www.kpl.org/central to learn more about our renovation and expansion plans and see our new designs.

Central Library Project Website Launched

On Monday, November 9th, Kitchener Public Library launched a new website for the Central Library Renovation and Expansion Project. The website provides a wealth of background information about the project and its development, including information about the project architects and schematic design images of the new library and underground parking complex.

Visit the new website at www.kpl.org/central to learn more about our project and share your thoughts.

Public Open House Announced

The Kitchener Public Library Board, the City of Kitchener, and our Civic District partners, invite you to attend a Public Open House to view schematic designs for a renovated and expanded Central Library and joint-use underground parking structure to be located at 85 Queen Street North. There will also be an opportunity to view and comment on a series of concepts for the development of a future Civic District Urban square.

Learn more about our vision for a revitalized Central Library and Civic District, speak to our project architects, and share your thoughts.

Date: Tuesday, November 3
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Main Library - 85 Queen St. N.
Details: Presentation begins at 7:15 pm

Date: Saturday, November 7
Time: 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Kitchener Market - 300 King St. E.
Details: Information on display throughout the day

Site Preparation Update

Site preparation work for our project has begun. A topographical survey for the site has been completed and drilling for the geotechnical report and environmental assessment is nearing completion.

The geotechnical investigation will provide information on the physical properties of the soil around the site and the environmental assessment will include underground water testing.

The geotechnical and environmental assessments are conducted as a standard component for any substantial construction project.

City of Kitchener Parks staff will be conducting an assessment of the trees on the Library and Parking Garage site. This information will be used by the Landscape Architect to develop a tree management plan for our project

Central Library Schematic Design Progress

Library staff and Levitt Goodman Associates, in association with The Walter Fedy Partnership and Philip H. Carter Architect, have begun work on the schematic design for the renovated and expanded Central Library. Schematic design provides a general overview of the various areas of the library and defines the scale of the project. This stage precedes the detailed design phase.

We anticipate that a schematic design of the Central Library and Underground Parking Garage will be shared with the public in the fall of 2009. We welcome your feedback on the Central Library design process. The dates and times of these public viewings will be posted here once they are determined.

Jazz @ the Library Concert a Great Success!

Our recent Jazz Concert at the main library on Queen Street was a huge success! The event was sponsored and presented by the library’s architect Levitt Goodman Architect in association with The Walter Fedy Partnership and Phillip H. Carter Architect. The event drew a standing-room only crowd of over 200 people. Attendees had an opportunity to look at displays about the library’s architectural team, the Civic District vision, the library renovation and expansion project, ask questions, and of course, enjoy a great show.

A big thank you to everyone who came out to the event in support of KPL! We also want to thank our architect team, specifically The Walter Fedy Partnership, and our Civic District partners, most notably the Registry Theatre and the KW Symphony, for all their efforts in organizing and helping out with the event.

Jazz @ the Library

In Celebration of the Central Library Renovation and Expansion Project and Underground Parking Complex.

Help kick-off the Central Library renovation project by joining us for a FREE afternoon of jazz! Learn more about the library’s renovation and expansion plans, enjoy some light refreshments, and groove to some great music.

The afternoon event will include live music from the KW Symphony, an opportunity to meet the architectural design team, and a special one-hour concert performance by Larry’s Jazz Guys, featuring Larry Larson, principle trumpet with the KW Symphony.

Saturday, July 25th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Main Library Auditorium85 Queen Street North

Light refreshments provided. Everyone is invited – so please join us!

City Approves Architect for Library Renovation and Expansion Project

On Monday May 25, 2009, Kitchener City Council approved awarding the contract for consulting services for the design and construction of the library renovation and expansion and underground parking garage to Levitt Goodman Architects in association with The Walter Fedy Partnership and Phillip H Carter Architect.

This partnership offers KPL the expertise of Phillip H Carter, a renowned Library architect, combined with the innovative and fresh approach of Levitt Goodman Architects, a talented architectural design firm, and The Walter Fedy Partnership, a local firm offering architectural, engineering and construction services.

Levitt Goodman Architect is familiar with the library project having worked on the 2005 Library Building Program and the 2007 Assessment of the Main Library Facility and Site. Levitt Goodman projects include the Waterloo Regional Children’s Museum and the University of Waterloo School of Architecture.

Phillip Carter has successfully overseen over 50 libraries including renovations to over twenty-five (25) Toronto Public Library Branches. Among these are the highly praised, Malvern District Public Library and the Lillian H. Smith Library.

To complement their design skills, Levitt Goodman Architects have also partnered with The Walter Fedy Partnership to provide solid expertise in parking garage design, LEED, mechanical, electrical and structural engineering.

“Levitt Goodman and their associates demonstrated a clear understanding of a public library’s unique design needs,” said Dan Carli, chair of the KPL Board. “A public library is not just a warehouse of books. It is a community place where people gather to learn, share, listen and be heard. Such a place requires not only an innovative design, but also one that takes into consideration the community it serves. Levitt Goodman and the team they have assembled were a unanimous choice”.

The Record: In the digital age, public libraries are more relevant than ever

(reprinted from the Record)

“. . . it has been a while since I visited my local library. So on a sunny day, I wandered over to the Kitchener Public Library.

I signed up for a free library card. The woman who served me was friendly and helpful. If I had taken my computer with me, I could have used the free wireless network.

[...]

There was a vitality to the place that had me thinking that public libraries are still important. Groups of children were busy with activities. A steady flow of people used the computers.

It appears I'm not the only one rediscovering this great institution during the recession.

[…]

Sonia and her staff are eagerly awaiting the selection of an architect for the 25,000-square-foot addition to the central library on Queen Street North. The current building, 82,000 square feet, dates back to 1962 and will be renovated.

Sonia says they're looking for a design to open up the space and transform the library from a storehouse of information to a community centre. "We're trying to establish a community living room," she says.

The history of supporting literacy and lifelong learning has not changed, but the library wants to encourage more interactions. For example, staff are encouraged to leave their desks and approach people, offering assistance and guidance.

[…]

Sonia hopes the ongoing transformation of the library will make it a hub of activity for many more years.

With all the plans and ideas for an even better library system, I'm betting I won't be the only one who plans to spend more time at my local public library.

Read the full article here

Library Begins Process to Hire Project Architect

On Monday, March 30th, an EOI (Expression of Interest for Architectural Services) was issued inviting interested architectural firms to consider working with us on our main library renovation and expansion project. Our project now includes the addition of a shared 412 space underground parking structure adjacent to the main library on Queen Street.

The library anticipates selecting an architect by July 2009.

Details about our EOI can be found on the City of Kitchener’s Tenders, Proposals, Quotations and Expressions of Interest website: http://www.kitchener.ca/tenders/tender.asp

City Approves Underground Parking Project Adjacent to Main Library

A project that will see the construction of a 412 space underground parking facility adjacent to the current Main Library at 85 Queen Street was approved by the Finance and Corporate Services Committee of the City of Kitchener. Final approval for the project is expected at the end of March 2009.

This project is a joint initiative between the City of Kitchener, the Kitchener Public Library, the Region of Waterloo, and the Province of Ontario. The shared parking structure will help meet the parking needs of all the partners involved and will build on the draft vision developed through public feedback for the Civic District.

According to Mayor Carl Zehr, this joint parking facility is a “win, win, win”. Along with providing the necessary increase in available parking for the Region and the Province’s new courthouse project, the parking facility will also provide the Main Library with the 112 spaces needed for the expanded library project.

Construction of the $18.4 million underground parking facility will begin in the summer of 2010 and will be completed in 2013 at the same time as the renovated and expanded Main Library.

For more information about this joint parking project, please read the Civic District Parking Structure Business Case.