$49 million in renovations later, Hazel McCallion Central Library reopens in Mississauga
Published December 19, 2023 at 9:54 am
After more than two years of major renovations, a dramatically updated Hazel McCallion Central Library reopens to the public today in the downtown core.
The reimagined and “state-of-the-art” resource centre, for which the $49 million tab was more than $6 million over initial City of Mississauga estimates, will welcome library users back through its doors at 1 p.m.
Tuesday’s “partial opening” will be followed by a grand opening on Feb. 3, 2024. For the next month-and-a-half or so, the library will operate with limited service and hours, officials say.
City officials say visitors to Mississauga’s revamped main library now have access to more than 175,000 books, DVDs and other items as the facility reopens to the public at its 301 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. location.
According to city officials, the additional $6.2 million needed to complete the project was necessary as things moved along. The extra money was approved by council, they added.
“The additional funding incorporates the City of Mississauga Green Building Standards, covers rising costs and it allowed for a temporary relocation of library operations to help limit disruptions to services,” officials said in a recent online project update.
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The library has been closed for major renovations for more than two years in order to “meet the growing needs of our customers,” library officials said earlier, adding the new-look facility promises to inspire “literacy, creativity and lifelong learning.”
The library, renamed in February 2021 to honour the late mayor on her 100th birthday, has been closed since March 2021 when renovations began.
“The renovation will move the library forward as an important part of an urban community that inspires literacy, creativity and lifelong learning,” city officials said in an earlier project update.
All five floors of public and staff space, including the Glass Pavilion, Breezeway and the Noel Ryan Auditorium, have been renovated.
The major project, which includes a fourth-floor sky lounge, marks the first large-scale renovation of the library since its opening in 1991. The central library has grown by about 28,000 sq-ft. of public space as a result of the renovations.
Major upgrades to the 32-year-old building also include updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning that will provide enhanced air flow and comfort, officials note.
As well, upgraded washrooms feature contact-free fixtures and enhanced technology throughout the building offer more self-serve options, along with greater access to digital collections and in-library services, officials say.
The facility is also completely barrier-free to those with disabilities.
Mississauga also has big plans in the works for several branch libraries, officials say.
The city plans to:
- redevelop or expand Lakeview Library to service
anticipated population growth - replace Cooksville Library with a new location as part of
the development of a new community centre and/or mixed-use development - redevelop or expand Mississauga Valley Library as part of a
broader renovation of the community centre there - introduce express libraries that meet members of the community where they are