Library coming soon in Market Square

The wait is over for Laurier Brantford students: a university library is coming soon.

Wilfrid Laurier University is working on a plan for the Market Square mall, which Laurier bought in 2014, and it is expected to include a new library and learning commons for students.

Criminology student Shannon McAllister says there is a lack of resources for research without a library. She is excited for Brantford students to finally get a library and more places to study.

“The city library is lacking quiet study areas,” says McAllister. “Study areas are only allowed to be booked out for two hours at a time and one person can’t sign it out twice in a row. The upper floor is usually quiet, but some days there is a library-run program for small children and they’re very loud.”

In 2009, a team of planners, architects, engineers and Laurier officials worked together to create a campus master plan, to help plan for future growth on both campuses. The end of this academic year marks the completion of the short-term goals.

The Brantford campus had two short-term goals: the YMCA/Laurier Brantford athletic and recreation centre and a library facility. The master plan highlighted the importance of having a library to meet the campus’ growing needs, saying “it is strongly recommended that a library facility be considered at the front end of the short-term phase, potentially in 2011 or 2012.”

Gary Nower, assistant vice president of physical resources, says library facilities are important to the Brantford campus and Market Square would be an ideal location for a library and learning commons.

“Is it a little bit late? Yes it is, but it’s a priority for the institution so that’s what we are working on right now,” says Nower.

“I think the partnership the university had with the library was a good one, but it was always seen as a temporary measure,” says Ward 5 Coun. David Neumann. “The university needs its own library.”

Along with a library, Nower says the former Eaton mall will feature a number of different spaces for students, including space to research, collaborate, hang out, eat, study and possibly retail features to meet the Laurier community’s needs.

“It will be kind of like a hybrid academic building,” says Nower. “It will have lots of different functions because it’s a big space.”

Planning for Market Square will be done by this spring. Nower says the foundation document will have a high-level description of what the building will become in the future.

The Brantford campus has a record of taking historic buildings in the downtown core and repurposing them to suit the needs of the university. Neumann says there is a city program to encourage people to repair and repurpose buildings.

“It’s proven to have a good pay back because the building is revitalized and then the city gains additional assessment for tax purposes,” says Neumann.

Nower says that Laurier will always take into consideration opportunities to repurpose and maintain the heritage look and feel of the downtown.

“We tried to replicate the streetscape of Colborne Street in some of the design features of the new athletic facility,” says Nower. “We want the design to celebrate the history and heritage of Brantford.”

The Laurier/YMCA facility is slated to be open by June 2018. Currently, there is no renovation work planned for Market Square within the next year.

Check out this SoundSlides (below) for the history of several downtown buildings before they were owned by Laurier: