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Aylmer commits library to Complex

March 14, 2017 | 2

A two-page motion about locating a new larger Aylmer library at East Elgin Community Complex was added to the agenda near the start of the Monday, March 13 council meeting by Councillor Pete Barbour who passed out paper copies of it to all councillors and staff.

While some councillors wanted to defer the motion until the next council meeting on Monday, March 20, others wanted to discuss moving the library to the Complex during budget deliberations that evening.

After the discussion, Deputy Mayor Mary French requested a recorded vote, which carried four to three.

Cr. Sheri Andrews, Cr. Barbour, Cr. McDonald and Cr. Oslach voted in favour of the motion while Mayor Greg Currie, Deputy Mayor French and Cr. Ann Laur voted against it.

The motion included a long preamble and an eight-point direction to staff that included contacting Malahide council to “obtain their consent” for Aylmer to rent meeting room space at the Complex for an Elgin County library branch.

One of the clauses stated the new Aylmer library branch would be operational at the Complex by Jan. 1, 2018.

The final point directed Finance Director Lisa Pelton to provide a “financial plan to pay for this project taking into account any unused Elgin County library capital grants applicable to the town” as part of the 2017 budget.

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  • Mary Stickel

    This issue has been dragging on far too long. Decision time.
    I don’t see driving to the complex as a deterent as most people drive for everything.- for church, groceries, medical appts.
    The Complex needs more vitality and usage so it would be a bonus for them.
    I don’t live in Aylmer, but I drive to the Library where I live, because carrying 6 books home is too heavy. Lots of parking there as well.

  • David Ritchie

    The library has been used as a pawn in a financial game. I have not spoken to a single patron of the library who is in favour of the move.
    The four councillors (who obviously cooked up that rushed vote between them) do not care about the library patrons. A recent story online stated that our library had 50,000 visits in the past year. That number represents a lot of voters. Your actions will be remembered in the next election.
    Driving to the complex is not an option for the large numbers of young people who visit the library after school and on weekends. Nor is it a safe bicycle ride out there.