Supporters of the West Kildonan Library rallied outside the building last year in an effort to save it from relocation. (HANDOUT)
WINNIPEG — Friends and advocates of the West Kildonan Library are celebrating after the building was granted heritage protection.
City council’s standing committee on property and development passed a unanimous motion on Monday to designate the library as a municipal historical site.
“We are pleased to see that city council has heard our community’s voice loud and clear by designating the library as a historical building,” said Evan Krosney, coalition co-chair of the Friends of West Kildonan Library.
“It confirms what has long been known by our community — this library is historically significant and worth saving. It has been a fixture of our neighbourhood for decades, and we are pleased to see the building will be protected for generations to come.”
The historical designation follows a community-led fight to save the 55-year-old Jefferson Avenue library, after a proposed plan last year to close the branch and relocate it to Garden City Shopping Centre. Hundreds of community members attended a rally to save the library and thousands signed a petition against its closure.
The Friends of West Kildonan Library coalition says it will continue advocating for additional investments from all levels of government to renovate and restore the building.
