"New library building seeking $1 million from Community Trust"

A $16 million new library and archives and lands and membership office building is almost 'shovel ready' with complete architectural drawings but needs funding.

A community hall information session held last Thursday provided information on the proposed facility to about 45 community members in attendance.

On the table was a proposal by the Six Nations community trust fund to award the library board with $1 million from capital funds - which currently totals about $16 million dollars netting around $500,000 in annual interest.

The trust said the decision is still months away.

Six Nations Library president Sabrina Saunders began the presentation with a brief history detailing the need for a new building and initiatives already taken including a 2009 needs assessment and 2010 council-funded feasibility study.

The Six Nations library currently operates out of a structure almost 125 years old built in 1885 as a doctor's residence.

The new building is a "multi-use facility focused on archival needs," Saunders said.

The building will be as green as possible.

The archives housed in the centre of the building will feature temperature and humidity control, and will serve Six Nations organizations needing storage space, like Woodland Cultural Centre, Chiefswood, Elected Council, in addition to housing library records. The building includes a teen zone, genealogy centre, and language lab. Also included is a new lands and membership office.

The building will be located on Fourth Line in the "village core" across the street from Village Cafe.

Six Nations Community Trust, trustee Tom Darnay said taking the $1 million from the trusts $16 million capital will mean a reduction of about $50,000 a year in interest.

He said the trust made about $500,000 in 2011-2012, that would fall to $450,000 if $1 million were given to the library.

Community member Bonnie Davis said she definitely supports funding the new library with trust capital.

"If the community trust needs an answer it's 'yes.' This is for the community." She said the money is there for need projects and people can't be afraid to spend a little of it. "I definitely support the project."

Davis said a lot of Six Nations records are in basements now and would benefit from an archival space. "We need proper storage and a good building," she said. "Not just a basement."

Cheryl Davis, records manager for Elected Council, said she supports the project as well. "Right now the records for council are in the old water treatment plant. There used to be a water reservoir there," she said.

Megan Hill 16, and Hannah Saunders, 15, are part of TAG (Teen Advisory Group) and said they've been offering a youth perspective to the library board.

"The design is really good," said Hannah Saunders. She said limited computer access at the current library can sometimes prevent work.

"I also like the studying space, where we can come and spread out with all of our stuff," she said, referring to a glassed-in 'teen zone' space allocated in the new building.

She said the new library looks like a place that's fun to "come and hang."

Meanwhile other fundraising measures have had considerable success. The library's one million penny campaign will close in March at the end of the 2012 fiscal year and Saunders says it's gone well.

She said $9000 has been raised so far, which is 900,000 pennies. "We'll probably hit our target (of 1 million pennies or $10,000). Its been very successful."

So far the library board has only raised $20,000 out of the total $16 million needed for the new building.

"The Library Board and I believe the night was an outstanding success and it was great to see so many supporters of our new library," she said.