Lake of Bays council has unanimously approved to move forward with the Dwight library branch renovations despite funding concerns.
During its Oct. 8 council meeting, Scott MacKinnon, superintendent of parks and facilities, presented a report with different proposals for the library project.
Davicor Construction Inc. was picked for the project, with a proposal amount of over 2.1 million dollars. The town set aside $400,000 for the project in the 2024 budget.
Mayor Terry Glover asked if the library has funding plans available to cover the total amount.
“Should the funding fall for our fallback and we don’t have funding, what’s our next step?” says Glover.
Cathy Fairbairn, a Dwight branch librarian, says the library has $250,000 in the bank and $200,000 in pledges. That leaves about $1.3 million left to fund.
“Last time I chatted to those folks, that was still their intention. I obviously can’t speak for the library board, but I’ve heard that the intention is to continue to fundraise,” says Fairbairn.
Patricia Allen, director of finance, said if things fall through, they could “borrow” as another option. Council approved Davicor Construction Inc. to move forward with designs and construction.
The work will include new washrooms, additional roof supports, modernizing the kitchen, auditorium upgrades and much more. Officials say the project is expected to wrap up in early 2026.
