Past its due date: Business case for new Saskatoon downtown library delayed

There won't be any late fees, not unless you count accrued public interest in the future of Saskatoon's downtown library.

The business case for building a new downtown library was expected to be shared with city councillors right about now.

But that report has been delayed, according to the Saskatoon Public Library.

"It's moving ahead, but taking a little longer than we initially intended," said spokesperson Janna Sampson. "We don't have a confirmed date, but from what I understand, it's looking like that may be in the fall."

The business case will delve into areas such as the proposed cost and size of a new library, and whether the current downtown Frances Morrison branch — which is behind on several building codes — should instead be renovated.

New details

Sampson also shared some new details about what the report will get into, including how much space is devoted to each section of the library.

"The functional program lists the types of spaces and sizes of those spaces," she said. "But it doesn't get into layouts.

"For example, it will say that X square feet would be allocated to collections, public seating, public computers, etc… but it's not a detailed description of the spaces or how they relate to each other. That would come later in the process.

"The next step would be to have a design competition, and there will be more public engagement before we get into an actual design."

The report will also include recommendations on the number of staff members needed.