Zephyr residents give input on moving local library

Roger Varley

About 30 people gathered at the Zephyr community hall on Saturday to hear about the township's plans to move the Zephyr library into the community centre.

Organized by local resident Janet Betts and a group called Concerned Residents of Zephyr, attendees were told the group has over 400 names on a petition calling on the township to leave things as they are. The township is proposing to move the library out of its current location into the community centre. This would mean taking away some of the floor area of the main hall, as well as one of the two kitchens in the building.

The current Zephyr Library

Concerned Residents of Zephyr had roped off an area of the hall that they claimed would be lost in the renovation. Resident Jim Jarvis said the roped-off area matched measurements from the township. Local councillor Gord Shreeve, who attended the meeting as an observer, told the Cosmos later that he didn't think the group had the correct measurements. Betts said the group invited councillors and township staff to attend the meeting, but only Shreeve showed up.

The meeting was given a history of the Zephyr library, which opened originally in 1897. It was rebuilt as a Centennial project in 1967, and re-opened in the 1970s.

Betts complained that moving the library would impact residents who use the library's computers, as well as things such as children's reading programs. She said that if the township proceeds with the plan, the library will be split into two, with the adult section separate from the children's section. She said children would be unattended in their section, citing it as "a huge risk factor."

She said losing the floor space in the hall would negatively affect such events as the annual Breakfast with Santa, dances and shows like Yuk Yuks.

Part of the township's reasoning for moving the library apparently revolves around the United Church, which sits next to the library’s current location. There was talk about the church being sold, but the meeting was told the church is not being sold. It is, however, suspending regular services because of low congregation numbers and will be used only for such things as weddings and funerals. The township has said that the library shares a well that is located on church property, and the uncertain future of the church was part of the reasoning for the move.

Betts had information sheets posted around the hall, including one which showed various township venues such as the Music Hall and Uxpool. She said the township claims the current library needs wheelchair accessible doors, but further claimed the venues shown did not have wheelchair accessible entrances.

Betts said a local general contractor and a well company had looked at the library site and told her changes could be made to the library and a new well installed for less than the proposed cost of moving into the hall. She said both parties had provided the quotes at no charge.

Also taped to the walls were emails Betts received from the township last December informing her that she had been appointed to the Zephyr Community Association and to the Uxbridge Public Library board. But another email, sent in February, informed her that the previous emails had been sent in error. The township said a member of the clerk's department had made a mistake.

Another meeting is scheduled for this Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to noon. This one, which will also be held at the Zephyr community centre, has been organized by the township, and township staff and councillors will be in attendance. Everyone is invited to attend this meeting.