LeBreton Flats drama won't affect plans for new library

Despite uncertainty with the future of LeBreton Flats, plans for Ottawa's new central library at a site next door are moving forward as expected.

During an Ottawa Public Library board meeting Tuesday night, library officials said progress for the new library is on track and construction should be done by 2024.

However, the partners in the RendezVous LeBreton group working on multibillion dollar plans to build a new NHL arena, condos and more immediately to the west are suing each other, raising concerns their plans could fall apart.

Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney, who serves as a library board trustee, again voiced her concern about the chosen location and what may happen.

"I really do feel we probably should pause," she said.

"If [RendezVous LeBreton] doesn't go ahead very soon, we will be building a central library in an area where there's no future development anticipated."

Danielle McDonald, CEO of the Ottawa Public Library, said she's confident the area will be developed.

"The library is the kind of organization and it's the kind of building that when you put that public space in play, people will come," she said.

"There will be development around it, so I'm not worried."

The new $175-million building will be home to both the Ottawa Public Library's central branch and Library and Archives Canada, with the federal government earmarking $73 million for its construction.

Alain Gonthier, the city's director of infrastructure services, said the land won't be empty for long with the central library kicking off development.

"We know that LeBreton will be developed, it's really an extension of the downtown and it's part of the growth process of the city," he said.

"We're not concerned."

Public to shape design

The design of the library will be a joint venture between the architects who revamped the NAC, Diamond Schmitt Architects from Toronto, and Ottawa's KWC Architects.

Coun. Tim Tierney, who chairs the library's board of trustees, said the design phase of the project will start once an official contract with the architects has been signed, which is expected to happen next week. 

"Some people wanted us to move along a lot quicker, but I think we're seeing the fruits of our labour coming forward right now," he said.

"We're excited to see the next steps."

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Members of the public will be given the chance to weigh in when public engagement begins in the first few months of 2019, but there won't be an initial design to critique.

Rather than a design competition, the look of the new building will be based on public consultation, Gonther said. 

"At this point, the architect has no concept plans or schematic plans," he said.

"That will really evolve through the public engagement process."