Keewatin Public Library celebrates re-opening

The Keewatin Library is finally open after being shut down for a year and a half.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Wednesday for the renovated building.

Greg Breen is the Director of Engineering and Infrastructure and says funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund for the project certainly helped.

“We issued the contract for just under $500,000 and then with the $375,000 we’re receiving from the NOHFC that obviously offsets that significantly,” Breen said following a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Keewatin Library/New Horizons Seniors Center.

“So, the city’s portion will be reduced down to $125,000.”

Breen says it was a long time waiting to complete the project, but the building is now structurally sound.

“The safety of the community is very important and so replacing the roof structure and getting a few other upgrades in the process is instrumental to making sure that some of these amenities in the community are maintained for the long term.”

The work not only included the replacement of the roof, but they installed new windows and other renovations to the building’s structure.

(Photo courtesy of the City of Kenora)