Local library on the move

 

Renovations to the old Morrisburg high school will soon begin and when finished there will be lots of changes taking place.

On April 26th, South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds confirmed that once renovations are completed, the Morrisburg branch of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Library will be moving to where the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic is currently located.

“It would go into the old clinic, but only part of that,” said Byvelds.

The move was “something that we, the township, decided on quietly. Bill (McGimpsey) wanted to go forward and make this a story.”

Byvelds was referring to SD&G Library System chair Bill McGimpsey’s recent announcement of the move in Cornwall’s Standard Freeholder where he was quoted predicting that Morrisburg is “going to have the highest traffic library in the whole system.”

Byvelds commented that this is a good “opportunity to flash some new ways of doing library (service) and getting people out.”

He also confirmed that the Dundas County Food Bank has been offered the use of a good portion of the library’s current location, once the library has moved.

“It’s been offered to them,” he said. “They seem enthusiastic. We’re not 100 per cent sure how much of that space they need. We were going to use some of that space for Donnie’s (Lewis) recreation.”

He explained that Don Lewis, manager of recreation, would use some of the space for storage  purposes.

As for the main section of the old high school, the St. Lawrence Medical Clinic will use the first floor, municipal offices will be stationed on the second floor, and the third floor will be used for the mayor’s office, council chambers and various meeting rooms.

“We’re going to try to make the space usable,” said Byvelds of the plan for the third floor.

As for what will happen to the municipal building on Second Street, “the old parks building will come down,” confirmed Byvelds.

And, once the building comes down, he said “we’ll see what  we need.” He confirmed that a parking lot is one option being looked at, but not the only one. The possibilities are many and the decision has not been made.

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