Menu

library closure

Thunder Bay Library Waverley 2

Waverley Library to close for major renovations this fall

,

Thunder Bay Public Library’s Waverley Library will close to the public this fall as the 75-year-old building prepares for a major renovation.

The branch’s final day open to the public will be Sunday, Nov. 22, with the closure taking effect Monday, Nov. 23. Construction is scheduled to begin Jan. 2, 2027.

Brodie Library, Mary J.L. Black Library and County Park Library will remain open. The library says it is also finalizing plans to expand service at County Park Library on the city’s north side.

“Waverley has served this city for 75 years, and the work we are about to do is what allows it to serve the next 75,” said Thunder Bay Public Library CEO Richard Togman.

“This is not cosmetic. We are dealing with the foundation, with water, with accessibility, and with a layout that no longer matches how people use a library.”

Plans include a children’s library roughly twice its current size, new accessible washrooms, a redesigned entrance, a small business and coworking space and an Indigenous Knowledge Centre.

The full renovation plans, including floor plans and renderings, will be unveiled at a public launch event on Thursday, Oct. 8, followed by public viewing on Friday, Oct. 9.

Library staff are expected to continue working their regular shifts through the end of 2026. Any staffing changes in the new year are being discussed with the library’s union partners.

Service arrangements during the closure are expected to be confirmed ahead of Nov. 23.

Bookshelf in library with many books

Annapolis Valley library board taps reserves to keep five branches open

, , , ,

The Annapolis Valley Regional Library board has voted to use more than half of its remaining reserve funds to keep five branches operating through the summer.

Earlier this year, the library system announced plans to close branches in Hantsport, Kentville, Lawrencetown, Middleton, and Port Williams because of funding shortfalls.

At a special meeting in Wolfville, board members approved a motion to extend service at those locations until Sept. 30, using reserve funds to cover the costs.

The decision provides a temporary reprieve for the branches, which had faced potential closure amid ongoing budget pressures, originally set for July 20.

Board members also voted to renew a request to the library’s municipal funding partners for the full amount of funding originally sought. The board hopes additional financial support will allow the five branches to remain open beyond the end of September.

The Annapolis Valley Regional Library serves communities across Kings, Annapolis, and Hants counties and has warned that reserve funds are limited, making a long-term funding solution necessary to maintain service levels.