Are people still not going to park and enter from the parkade? Maybe improve that entrance…

The reason why the library sits so high above the parking area under the library is because the building columns were designed to take another level of parking.

Parking in that area is badly needed.

Other buildings, such as the civic centre and the art gallery were part of the original master plan for the area which was to include additional parking under all those buildings so that in the final configuration those buildings, plus a performing arts centre plus shopping, restaurants, etc. would all be roughly at the same level. That level, by the way, is the same level as the Coast Hotel main entrance. The whole complex could be interconnected with both open and enclosed walkways.

Instead of revisiting a long term improvement of the plaza based on the buildings now sitting at the lower level – please recall that the Four Seasons pool was the original “modern” building on the site and its main level is also located at a higher elevation than the Two Rivers Gallery and the Civic Centre.

The Library has been a building suffering from little home improvement projects here and there. The Rotunda could have been, and probably was supposed to be, an improvement to the library entrance. Turns out it was a poor design. I would not be surprised if one were to go back to the original design of the Rotunda that there were cost savings made to come in closer to budget of the day.

If one were to look at the second level of parking under the library, one could design it in such a way that it becomes the drop off level for those with the need for handicap access.

This thing is looking to me like it will become just another patchwork “improvement”. There have been so many of those.

The Library is an excellent example of a project which went sour over time because too much was left for future additions which never happened. Build it right in the first place typically proves to be the least expensive over the lifetime of a building.

To bad this is happening to what was originally such a nice building and still is in many ways.

‘The reason why the library sits so high above the parking area under the library is because the building columns were designed to take another level of parking. ‘ – wrong. That used to be a slough, as did the entire area and its a 100 yr flood plain. They had to use the pillars for the the risk of future flooding.

Oh, and find a better use for that money, Library’s are a dying industry if you haven’t noticed. This thing called ‘the internet’ has sort of hurt the function of physical books being needed. They could use a building 1/4 that size for a Library, and sell off that building for commercial office space. We have a Library at the university, in the mall and in the Hart.

what about the area beside the library with the gated wood block fence and metal objects sticking out from the middle with expensive work equipment in the compound?

I would have to say gopg2015 is correct in his statement that the original design was a second level parking. As well as the building was built on stilts to ensure it is out of the flood plain.

Is the Library a dying industry. I think our local library has done a good job reinventing itself, it is no longer about borrowing books. it is more social aspect of the community. my grandchildren go to the library for that reason….. I have not been there for decades.

I don’t see a library as a place to house books, I see it as a place that manages information and facilitates the provision and exchange of that information to people, within a community, between institutions, etc.

I suppose if you take the view that information is no longer required by anyone or anything, then yes, libraries are redundant. In this day and age, however, where there is so much information around us and it’s coming at us so quickly, I think the relevance of libraries is actually increasing, or at least they should be if we want to utilize that information effectively.

We have never in our history had access to so much information. Why on earth would we want to get rid of the institutiins that let us benefit from that information? Do you honestly think that you can get everything you need from Google or Yahoo?

“Oh, and find a better use for that money, Library’s are a dying industry if you haven’t noticed. This thing called ‘the internet’ has sort of hurt the function of physical books being needed. They could use a building 1/4 that size for a Library, and sell off that building for commercial office space. We have a Library at the university, in the mall and in the Hart.”

1. The library has actually seen increased usage year-over-year. So despite a shift away from books, they have done a great job at staying relevant and being an important service in our community.

2. Sell of the building for more commercial space? There’s already too much commercial space on the market in downtown Prince George. Much of it is vacant.

3. UNBC is out of the way, and I would say the majority of the those utilizing that library are UNBC students. Mall location was temporary to accommodate for the interruption of service during the Canada Winter Games.

I’m in favor of a revamping of the entry way. I know as a child, that building scared me. Felt unsafe, especially the parking area.

‘I’m in favor of a revamping of the entry way. I know as a child, that building scared me. Felt unsafe, especially the parking area.’ – So because you were abandoned in dark parking lots as a child, we should spend millions on a new entrance to the Library? Have you seen kids these days? They aren’t allowed down the road unattended, and they certainly aren’t dropped off in the library parking lot to fend for themselves.

That Library could be half the size, and better utilized. It is being transitioned into a daycare, with nerf war evenings and video game rentals being the top activity.

All our schools have a Library. I would love to see a study to see who exactly uses the Library, besides the homeless in the winter, and the daycare programs they have.

I was in PG when the library was built. In fact, the firm I was with entered the competition along with about 50 others across the country.

Graham Tudor won the competition, and the library was built the way it is, because of the reason I gave.

If you want to know where the flood plain is, it is about half a foot above the main floor of the Civic Centre. The new flood plain raises that by about 2 feet, if I recall correctly.

Next time you are at the library, have a look at the elevator enclosure from the parking area. There are 12 rows of 8″ high concrete blocks to the slab band above the entry door. The slab band is the location of the planned parking slab. There is another 12 rows of blocks to the bottom of the slab that the library sits on. That gives 8 feet from floor to floor, counting the drop panels at the columns and the drainage piping, it should give the 6′-6″ clear height required for parkades.

The current on grade parking is below the flood plain. The second level would be above it.

If you still think you are correct, provide your sources please.

“So because you were abandoned in dark parking lots as a child, we should spend millions on a new entrance to the Library? Have you seen kids these days? They aren’t allowed down the road unattended, and they certainly aren’t dropped off in the library parking lot to fend for themselves.

That Library could be half the size, and better utilized. It is being transitioned into a daycare, with nerf war evenings and video game rentals being the top activity.

All our schools have a Library. I would love to see a study to see who exactly uses the Library, besides the homeless in the winter, and the daycare programs they have.”

A lot of assumptions you’ve made here… Assuming I was raised by misfits.. that’s rich. Doesn’t matter if you’re alone, or in a group. That parking lot is both scary, and a liability. Especially for staff leaving in the evening.

You must not have done research before making such claims. The library completes annual reports for the city which are accessible by the public and they would show exactly what they are planning and have accomplished.

Perhaps you could visit the library and learn some research techniques before you make so many unwarranted assumptions, you know what they say about assuming. Makes an “A##” out of “U” and “ME”

If there is any civic building that should be sold, it is City Hall. People work from home, people drive around in cars, people inspect places, people fly out of town to go to conferences, meetings, etc.

Lyn Hall wants to reconnect with the community. We have schools being mothballed, some used for health units, militia, and possibly drug and alcohol recovery centres.

The city should put its administrative offices in abandoned neighbourhood schools. It promotes that feeling of “being there”.

“If there is any civic building that should be sold, it is City Hall. People work from home, people drive around in cars, people inspect places, people fly out of town to go to conferences, meetings, etc. ”

I disagree. Holding many sites in neighborhoods is a fast way to bloat city hall costs. You will essentially increase administration staff 5X, plus the cost of maintaining a bunch of buildings. Not to mention – these are owned by SD57. Not the city. A consolidated city hall is way more cost effective.

‘A lot of assumptions you’ve made here… Assuming I was raised by misfits.. that’s rich. Doesn’t matter if you’re alone, or in a group. That parking lot is both scary, and a liability. Especially for staff leaving in the evening. ‘

– There is more than one way into the library, figure it out. Do you also park in dark alleys on George St, and then walk to the Ramada for a coffee? Of course not. When was the last crime committed in that public library parking lot? Using your reasoning, you should provide data to suggest it is a dangerous place, and not some fabrication of your youth.

‘You must not have done research before making such claims. The library completes annual reports for the city which are accessible by the public and they would show exactly what they are planning and have accomplished.’

– Well isn’t that neat? A self serving organization, preparing reports stating the ‘future is brighter than ever’? Who would have thought anything but such projections would be prepared?

‘Perhaps you could visit the library and learn some research techniques before you make so many unwarranted assumptions, you know what they say about assuming. Makes an “A##” out of “U” and “ME’

– I would but I’m afraid of getting violently attacked in that dark parking lot you pointed out. You have frightened me away from the library for life. Did you have any other witty comebacks to throw my way, or do your awesome burns stop at quotes from The Bad News Bears? Will you be hitting me with stuff from Every Which way but Loose next?