Final Year for Friends of the Sunnyside Library
Library users in the community can finally rest assured that their branch is here to stay. Not only will the Sunnyside Library maintain its landmark position in the neighbourhood, it will also offer patrons a new, improved and expanded space.
On June 5th, the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) announced its successful request for funding from the Infrastructure stimulus program. This grant will finance five capital projects in community branches in the Ottawa area, including a significant renovation of the Sunnyside Library. The $1,275,000 allocated for Sunnyside will be used to prolong the life and improve the function of the building, which opened in 1951 and was last renovated in 1985. Since the removal of visiting services and the bookmobile (relocated a few years ago to the new Greenboro Branch) much of the basement has been vacant or underutilized. The redevelopment of this space will allow for a new multipurpose room for both children and adults, a revitalization of the existing children's department, a retrofit of all washrooms, operational improvements to aid the flow of materials and a general refreshment of interior finishes and furnishings.
The work on the facility is well underway. Though asbestos removal has slowed the progress, we can still expect to have the branch up and running by the end of the summer. In the interim, the kiosk at Landsdowne has seen brisk business and will maintain library services until the renovation is complete.
When the branch reopens, both floors will feature customized paintings by local artists. Bhat Boy is currently working on a mural featuring the branch with its tangled garden. It is to be located on the main floor above the information desk. Crystal Beshara is planning a painting for the Children's department. The style of this piece will be similar to work from her recent book, When I Visit the Farm. These paintings have been commissioned by the Friends of the Sunnyside Library to commemorate the community's struggle to keep the branch open. However, the pay is extremely modest and the pieces can also be viewed as donations from the artists themselves. Thank you Bhat Boy and Crystal—we appreciate your gifts to the neighbourhood.
In addition to the new artwork, the Friends of Sunnyside will be donating funds for fixtures and furnishings, items not included in the existing budget. These details are still unfolding as the branch gets closer to its finished state and needs are being identified.
All in all, the past year has been amazingly fruitful. The committee's goals have been fully realized: our community will not only keep its library, but layers of investment in the branch will ensure that it will be here for many years to come.