In public tours, Regina Public Library lays out case for new central branch

Deep in the basement of the Regina Central Library there are a pair of boilers in constant need of repair. 

Although either of the machines is capable of heating the downtown branch, if both were to fail during one of Saskatchewan's infamous winters then the building would need to be evacuated. 

"We are well beyond the normal life of this equipment," said Kevin Saunderson, an executive director with the Regina Public Library (RPL)

This is one of many issues that continues to plague the location, leading the board of the RPL to vote recently to endorse the construction of a new building. 

Despite the vote, the ultimate decision is up to Regina city council, which will receive a report at the end of this year outlining recommendations on a several large projects proposed in the city. 

Council will get to decide whether it should support the creation of a new central branch, or listen to members of the community who are calling for the existing facility to be repaired.

In an effort to sway the public, the RPL is hosting tours of the Regina Central Library this week to show the laundry list of issues. 

Media received a tour on Tuesday morning, with Saunderson leading the way. 

The boilers are one of the largest problems, Saunderson said. The tubes inside are corroding and cracking and are hard to replace.

Replace the boilers would be a monumental task, he said. They're so big that Saunderson believes the building was built around them. 

They are located under the library's entranceway, which would need to be completely or partially demolished in order to get the boilers out of the building. 

Although heating systems were once allowed to be built under entrance ways as part building codes in the 1960s, that is no longer the case. This means if the RPL were to update the building's heating system, it would need to be moved somewhere large enough to house it.

With limited space in the facility that would likely mean the roof of the building. 

But the roof is not connected to the walls of the central library — it merely sits on top of them — and is itself in need of repair, Saunderson said. As a result the library would likely be forced to build a super-structure to support the weight of the new heating system. 

LISTEN| Regina's catalyst committee gathers public feedback on downtown plans: 

The boilers are just one example of a systemic problem at the facility, Saunderson said, where RPL is being stretched to the limit attempting repairs on infrastructure and machinery that is decades out of date. 

"That's where we've been, sort of balancing that for the next number of years is how much to invest, not even knowing how long you're going to be here," he told media. 

Windows on one side of the building were installed backwards to allow for decorative steel shutters to be installed, and insulation is non-existent in some locations. Both issues have allowed for condensation and water to seep into the building, causing damage to the roof and walls.

Electrical infrastructure is also an issue, with the library spending $4,000 to purchase breakers last time they needed to be replaced. The escalator is so old that some replacement parts need to be custom machined.

The building also has accessibility issues, which Saunderson said can't easily be addressed in the building's current footprint.

There are bathrooms in the basement and third floor, which is only accessible to those with limited mobility via a single elevator. Meanwhile the ramp that leads up to the building does not have the slope and grade necessary to meet building codes.

The cost of it all

The Regina Central Library was built to to serve a population of 110,000, while Regina's population in the 2021 census was more than double that at 249,000 people.

As the city continues to grow, the RPL says it wants to offer the services that are now standard among modern libraries, including expanded social programs and more digital education.

The idea is to demolish the existing building and construct a new facility on the same lot.

Building four stories high and taking better advantage of the lot would offer nearly double the square footage, Saunderson said.

It all comes with a price tag of approximately $125 million.

In opposition to the idea are some members of the community, as well as organizations like Friends of the Regina Public Library, who would rather see the city preserve the heritage of the library and carry out repairs estimated at approximately $50 million.

These critics say the money saved would be better spent on addressing homelessness or the problem of lead pipes in Regina.

While repairs would extend the life of the current building, it would not allow for more services to be offered, Saunderson said.

"We would continue to live with many of the problems that we are experiencing right," he said.

Asbestos abatement would also need to be addressed if the facility were to undergo renovations.

"The nature of work that would have to be done in this building would not allow us to update the building while we are occupying it. So even even if we were just to do a reno of the existing building, we would still have to move out for … a year plus … maybe two years," Saunderson said.