September to December, 2007
FOSSIL (Friends Of the Sunnyside Library)
This year, both the Library Committee and the Sunnyside Library have received quite a bit of media attention. The branch and its location on a prime piece of real estate overlooking the canal has interested property developer Doug Casey and his company, Charlesfort. Mr. Casey presented some ideas to the board a few months ago (and subsequently to the Glebe Community Association). His thoughts on redeveloping the site met with media interest and a largely negative public response, mainly due to the proposed height of a new building. We have not heard from Mr. Casey since, and it is my understanding that the Ottawa Public Library administration has not heard from him either. So there is nothing official to discuss, and nothing “in the works” that we know of.
FOPLA (Friends of the Ottawa Public Library) ran a mail-out fundraising campaign last fall to which some of you may have contributed. Rather than collecting funds for a general pot, they targeted branches and their users. The Sunnyside Library identified the need for new furniture in the adult reading area/lounge, and the purchase of these chairs is imminent. Our committee participated in this fundraiser and contributed $1000 from our fundraising revenue (from the used book sale and cloth bags that are now sold out). We still have considerable savings that will be put toward the redevelopment of the basement when that takes place (this could be years ahead, as the OPL's operating budget is tight, and we are not moving up the list for capital improvements as other branches have more immediate needs). This is really just a waiting game, as no amount of advocacy and lobbying can move us up the queue.