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The Saskatoon Public Library has announced a date for construction to begin on its new downtown branch.
Remediation work is to begin in July at the site of the new building, located at 321 Second Avenue North. From there, construction is to begin in October, according to an SPL media release issued Monday.
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The revised timeline would have the new building open to the public in the summer of 2027.
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SPL is planning to hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the site on June 25, with what the media release described as “a community celebration” to follow at the current Frances Morrison Central Library at 311 23rd St E from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Construction was originally meant to get underway last summer, with the building to open in 2026. The SPL cancelled the tender for the work in September 2023 and announced the project would be delayed due to budget concerns.
SPL then hired Ledcor to serve as a construction manager and work to change the design of the building to allow it to be built within the existing budget. Ledcor was to receive just over $17 million in fees, all from within the project’s existing budget of just under $80 million.
Beth Côté, SPL’s Interim CEO & Director of Libraries, said in the release that she was “extremely proud” of the team who worked on the redesign, noting that the process has maintained “the original vision and cultural integrity of this building” while allowing construction to move forward “in a financially prudent manner.”
Côté was appointed to her interim role after the SPL board in September accepted the resignation of previous CEO Carol Cooley, who had led the organization since 2015 and oversaw much of the process leading to the new downtown branch.
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The Frances Morrison building was built in 1966. Library officials have previously indicated the building would be too expensive to renovate due to extensive issues with the electrical, ventilation and other systems.
The building was sold to Duchuck Holdings Ltd. for $4.45 million in a deal announced in early 2023. The SPL announced at that time that the Frances Morrison branch would continue to operate until closer to the opening of the new central branch. Duchuck is not expected to take over the building until 2026.
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