By Dan McHardie
The City of Ottawa is negotiating with a Toronto-based corporation for the possible sale of the main public library building in an effort to save money.
Mayor Jim Watson, also a member of the city’s library board, says the Cadillac Fairview Corp. initially approached the city with a request to buy the parking garage below the library and the rights to add floors to the building. However, discussion soon escalated to buying the entire building.
Watson says the corporation is eager to sign a deal, but the city is unwilling to march ahead without doing the proper research.
“We are looking out for the best interests of the libraries and its users,” he says, adding the city’s primary concern with any deal is increased services for the library.
The Cadillac Fairview Corp. currently owns the building adjacent to the Ottawa Public Library building, located at the corner of Laurier Avenue and Metcalfe Street.
John Hagan, Cadillac Fairview’s chief financial officer, says he could only confirm that the corporation is negotiating with the city over the building.
Hagan wouldn’t comment on a specific asking price which would be determined during negotiations, but it would be in the millions.
The agreement being worked out by the two sides would see Cadillac Fairview take ownership of the library, then lease the space back to the city to maintain the library. The corporation would then be able to add extra storeys to the current structure.
Meanwhile, the city would be off the hook for further building maintenance and revonation. Its sole responsibility would be funding for new resources, such as books and computers.
The library is looking for $10 million in upgrades and renovations to the downtown branch and three other Ottawa libraries.
The main library wants to add more meeting spaces, add more shelves, and eliminate the piles of books mounting on top of each other. The city also wants to build a new library branch in South Keys.
Watson says, though money won’t be the deciding factor on whether Ottawa decides to sell the building, he admits the city would like to shed some of its expenses.
He says the city isn’t putting as much money into library services as he would like.
“Ideally, our resources would be better if we had a new library, with more accessibility, which was more spacious — like other big cities,” Watson says. “But we don’t have the money, but (moving the library) would be a consideration when we decide to lease or sell (the building).”
Chief librarian Barbara Clubb says she has heard of the proposal made by Cadillac Fairview, but because she hasn’t seen any solid details she refused comment.
“The board will consider any options that will provide better library service,” Clubb says, adding she doesn’t know if selling the building would help service.
City Coun. Elisabeth Arnold, whose ward includes the library, says she lists customer service as her first concern if the library is to be sold and leased back to the city.
“I have no problem selling the building if public service can be proved to be more efficient,” she says, but adds at this point she has more questions than answers concerning the sale of a building.
“The library is underfunded as all city services are right now. We will look at any move if it is beneficial to the operation of the library.”