Article content continued

Something, the newly elected chairman added, “that people want to send their kids to, a destination almost.”

Windsor has been talking for years about either improving the existing 101,000-square-foot central library or building anew in the downtown. In 2011 city council and the library board approved a move to the ground floor of the Art Gallery of Windsor, to create a cultural hub in the downtown. That plan took a big turn when the Chimczuk Museum went there instead. Another suggested move, to the downtown aquatic centre, also didn’t happen.

But Dilkens’ role as chairman signals new momentum for the project.

Nothing is budgeted for a new central library in the city’s current five-year capital budget. But that could change, Dilkens said following the public portion of the board meeting.

“If it’s a priority of council, it’s something we could do within the next five years if we choose to do it that way,” Dilkens said. “Once the board here has looked at it and made a recommendation, then it will be up to city council how to fund it.”

The Halifax Central Library cost $57.6 million (Ottawa contributed $18.3 million and the province gave $13 million). Dilkens said a Windsor version of it would be significantly smaller since Halifax has double the population.

The exercise Tuesday was run by consultant Anne MacKay, who’s been hired to talk to library users as well as board members, asking them: “What do you want a new library to be, what do you want it to feel like?”