The Telkwa Reading Room is looking to make some upgrades to its building.
Volunteer facilitator Erin Cockriell made a presentation to Telkwa council earlier this month and told councillors they have some plans to improve the building that sits beside the river on Madison Avenue.
“We are looking for permission to modify the building in hopes that the modifications will create accessibility and just a greater future practical use going forward in the village,” said Cockriell. The building is owned by the Village and they are currently negotiating a lease agreement. Their operation budget is funded by the Village on a yearly basis and they are run entirely by volunteers. Just over a year ago, they formed a not-for-profit society called the Telkwa Reading Centre Society. The library would like to apply for a Wet’zinkwa Community Forest grant for an accessible doorway and an accessibility ramp into the building as well as a new LED lighting system. Cockriell said they don’t have exact numbers yet for that project, but council gave them the go-ahead to apply for the grant.
The reading room is also hoping to purchase new windows and create an accessible washroom. Cockriell said the washroom is very popular because of their location near the river but it is not fulfilling their needs.
She told council that they have a little bit of surplus from the COVID-19 years because they couldn’t do all their regular programming. So they’d like to use some of that money for those two projects and asked council to foot the rest of the bill for the windows and the washroom. Council was very supportive of all the projects and agreed to chip in.
“It’s just really good to see that there is a commitment to enhancing that building,” said Councillor Annette Morgan. “It’s beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful locations of a library you’ll ever see in this region.”
Finance director Rowena Atienza-Paquette said the Northern Planning Capital Grant would be a good funding source for the projects.
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