Staff and board members of the Vermilion Public Library (VPL) are thrilled to announce that on April 18, the library board passed a motion to accept a bid to begin work on the building’s new Savaria elevator. The much-anticipated platform lift will enhance accessibility and improve utilization of the library’s main floor and basement.
The tender from LC Greenough came in within budget at $139,942. Work is slated to begin on May 13 and should take around 18 weeks, wrapping up by September. There will be minimal disruption to the library during this time.
The lift will be installed along the north side of the building between the current front entrance and the external door leading to the basement. Inside the building, this is where library manager Stuart Pauls’ office is currently located. The manager’s office will likely be moved to the current meeting room space upstairs. Fortunately, the bid for the work also covers the conversion of one of the storage rooms downstairs into a meeting room, ensuring the library continues to provide meeting spaces for the public.
The funding received for the project currently totals $107,518, including a $20,000 donation made 9 years ago from the estate of Midori Brown, given with the request that the library use it for “a worthy capital project.” The board is delighted to finally be able to put this generous donation to good use. Other donors include the provincial Community Facility Enhancement Program grant totalling $66,018; the Vermilion Rotary Club’s $10,000 donation; $5,000 each from the Community Closet and the Vermilion Credit Union; and $1,500 from the Vermilion Crisis Line.
Board Chair Justin Thompson said, “This has been a desired project for the library to enhance the space for going on roughly three decades, so we’re incredibly grateful to all of our contributors for helping us to get there, and all the hard work from the staff and board.”
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