
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District anticipates planning work on a new Kamloops library to begin this spring.
The new 24,700 square foot library is expected to be built on a parking lot on Hillside Drive, across from Aberdeen Mall. It is owing to the growth that is expected to take place in the southwest sector of Kamloops over the next 20 years. A report to the TNRD board last year said the area is “already underserved by the system.”
“Population growth in Kamloops is quickly outstripping the capacity of the two library buildings that currently exist,” the report said. “Municipal expansion will continue in the city’s southwest and the Aberdeen community or a location immediately adjacent should be procured by the TNRD to commence planning for the Kamloops library.”
Chief Librarian Judy Moore tells NL News this planning work was supposed to begin last summer but notes it was delayed by wildfires and then flooding.
“We are very much looking at that southwest area within Kamloops and Aberdeen,” she said. “We know that that is a hub area and we want to position the library for convenience and for success so we could be looking for a site within that area of the city.”
“Because of the wildfire season and on top of that the flooding, that is work that we’ve not been able to undertake. We are hoping to get back to planning and work on the South Kamloops library sometime in the first quarter of 2022.”
Kamloops currently has two libraries – the downtown facility at roughly 20,000 square feet and in North Kamloops at 19,000 square feet – along with a mobile Bookmobile, which is parked at the North Kamloops location when not in use. Barring any changes to plans, this new South Kamloops library would be the largest in the City.
“I am not in a position to be able to comment on costs at this time,” Moore added.
“We certainly have been exploring infrastructure grant funding. There has been major changes to those funds so that is an area that we are going to be digging into because the plan for the South Kamloops library are very much contingent on receiving maximum infrastructure amounts.”
At this time, it is not clear when construction on this new library building will get underway.