The Windsor Public Library Board of Directors has approved the new Central Library Functional Plan in principle.
"It will now go to city council and city council is the one who will be responsible for determining whether or not they want to fund this project," says Mayor Drew Dilkens. "We know today that the estimated cost if we're looking at a 2023 construction is approximately $38-million but probably closer to 45 by the time you factor in land."
Mayor Drew Dilkens is chair of the board and says the ideal size for the new library is approximately 72,000 square feet. (current Central Branch is 101,000 square feet)
Dilkens says a location still needs to be decided.
"If you look in the downtown cultural area, the areas of land that would actually be appropriate for a building this size are very few," says Dilkens. "So you can see the vacant land that's pretty obvious and then there are places like the Paul Martin Building that provide an opportunity as well but of course the Paul Martin Building is bigger than the one we're standing in now."
He adds the board along with the city are interested in partnering with college and university or a private developer.
"We want to go through and explore all those different options to see whether there's a way to package things together that really makes this central library a vibrant space for the community but also works with our community partners as well to help offset some of the costs."
As heard on AM800 news in March, the current Central Branch on Ouellette Ave. was sold to the Downtown Mission for $3.6 million.
The deal closes at the end of June 2019.
The temporary central branch will be located at the new city hall.