Halifax Central Library | 27 m | 6 fl | Completed

[Colin May]

Noisy libraries - or are they 'community meeting places' ?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-visitors.html

[coolmillion]

The fencing is down around the new library and it is neat to get up close, peek in the windows and get a better sense the relationship of the building to its surroundings. This is an amazing piece of architecture and it is going to be a great facility. I can't wait for it to open

[Keith P.]

I find it odd that the old one closed and the new one was not held to a fixed opening date. I find it even odder that nobody is crying about the lack of services being available.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I find it odd that the old one closed and the new one was not held to a fixed opening date. I find it even odder that nobody is crying about the lack of services being available.

I federal Minister, I Premier, I mayor, one O'Regan and additional hangers on have to agree a schedule.
Any volunteers to be at the ceremony with " Your taxes paid for this " signs ?

[coolmillion]

^ I agree Keith... a bit of a gap in service. Good things come to those who (are forced to) wait, however... the opening date will be announced this Wednesday.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Colin May

I federal Minister, I Premier, I mayor, one O'Regan and additional hangers on have to agree a schedule.
Any volunteers to be at the ceremony with " Your taxes paid for this " signs ?

I wonder if they will be jetting in Queen Judith to have her bestow her Royal Assent on her monument.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I wonder if they will be jetting in Queen Judith to have her bestow her Royal Assent on her monument.

I vote that they will use a royal barge to punt Queen Judith up the harbour for the event.

They will disembark at the cruise ship terminal followed by a procession to the new library complex. Dancing girls will drop rose petals on the roadway as the procession passes.

Just kidding of course. I like the new library. It may be a bit grandiose, but it certainly makes a statement about how Halifax may be becoming of age.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I vote that they will use a royal barge to punt Queen Judith up the harbour for the event.

They will disembark at the cruise ship terminal followed by a procession to the new library complex. Dancing girls will drop rose petals on the roadway as the procession passes.

Good idea, but I would be concerned about the cost. It may not be high enough to satisfy her.

[MPotter]

Here is a shot I got of the back plaza and some the Mary Ann site.

[Aya_Akai]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I find it odd that the old one closed and the new one was not held to a fixed opening date. I find it even odder that nobody is crying about the lack of services being available.

It'll be really soon. I've got a family member that works at the Alderney Branch, and a good chunk of the people there are being taken to the new Halifax Central Branch, with new folks coming to fill the open spots at the other library sites. They're already in the process of bringing these new people on board.. so I'm guessing they're not going to be too long.

[halifaxboyns]

CBC is reporting the library opens December 13th.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

CBC is reporting the library opens December 13th.

$57.4 million !!!!

Akin to the Eiffel Tower - excuse me while I ROFLMAO

[halifaxboyns]

That's nothing! The new DT Calgary library is $245 million. Although I suspect a lot of that cost is having to deal with being built over the C-train portal for the line coming in from the South (from stampede). Still - it's going to be an awesome addition to the East Village.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

That's nothing! The new DT Calgary library is $245 million. Although I suspect a lot of that cost is having to deal with being built over the C-train portal for the line coming in from the South (from stampede). Still - it's going to be an awesome addition to the East Village.

Yeah, about $70 million is the cost to accommodate the train, plus the building will be larger. Still, that's 175 million, more than three times as expensive as Halifax's. And from the early plans I've seen, Halifax's library will be just as packed with amenities. And I prefer it, architecturally.

I understand the desire to ensure public money is spent responsibly, since there certainly is no shortage of examples of government waste. But I don't get at all the knee-jerk response you get from some people whenever the word "million" is used. Stuff costs money. Good stuff costs a lot of money. We want good stuff.

[hokus83]

I think our new Library should have been a bit larger with a couple of extra floors added on it .

I do think that new Calgary's central library interior is immensely superior to the Halifax one with its wood finishes. To be honest I think all the white paint for everything for the Halifax one is immensely ugly looking and not very library looking

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Colin May

$57.4 million !!!!

Akin to the Eiffel Tower - excuse me while I ROFLMAO

I have been looking at the pictures/videos posted by reporters today. It is truly excessive. It appears that they had an unlimited budget and exceeded it.

Also I read that the new edifice will require 55 additional staff positions to make it function. Those are forever positions being a govt agency. Ridiculous.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by hokus83

I think our new Library should have been a bit larger with a couple of extra floors added on it .

I do think that new Calgary's central library interior is immensely superior to the Halifax one with its wood finishes. To be honest I think all the white paint for everything for the Halifax one is immensely ugly looking and not very library looking

The Halifax library is quite unattractive inside with all the long staircases and walkways that clutter the central atrium area. Poorly designed. I do not understand why they used staircases instead of escalators since that limits access to those with physical challenges. Probably a dumb HRM "green" mandate.

[Waye Mason]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The Halifax library is quite unattractive inside with all the long staircases and walkways that clutter the central atrium area. Poorly designed. I do not understand why they used staircases instead of escalators since that limits access to those with physical challenges. Probably a dumb HRM "green" mandate.

There are three elevators.

[Waye Mason]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I have been looking at the pictures/videos posted by reporters today. It is truly excessive. It appears that they had an unlimited budget and exceeded it.

Also I read that the new edifice will require 55 additional staff positions to make it function. Those are forever positions being a govt agency. Ridiculous.

The library is on budget, and the staff increase has to do with going from a 38,000 sf library to a 129,00 sf library.

[Waye Mason]

Originally Posted by Colin May

$57.4 million !!!!

Akin to the Eiffel Tower - excuse me while I ROFLMAO

I know, I can't believe they didn't spend more! Crazy, right?

Can't wait to start planning the new Bedford branch next!