It was standing room only as 200 Centretown residents jammed City Hall council chambers Wednesday evening to voice their opposition to the Ottawa Public Library's preferred location for a new central library.

The library wants to close its outdated main branch at Metcalfe Street and Laurier Avenue, and build a new $168-million facility on the eastern edge of LeBreton Flats that would be shared with Library and Archives Canada.

Residents said that location would be a farther walk for downtown residents, especially those who live in shelters in the ByWard Market area, and would be harder for people with mobility issues to access since it's located below the escarpment on the western edge of downtown.

LeBreton Flats is slated for extensive redevelopment, including thousands of residential units to be built over the next couple of decades, and the preferred library site does fit the Ottawa Public Library's criteria for being located near the new LRT line.

The land is also owned by the city, so work could proceed quickly with an expected construction completion date of 2020.

This city-owned property (left), bounded by Albert Street, Commissioner Street and the Confederation light rail line, is the site recommended by Ottawa Public Library staff for a new central branch. (CBC)

Confederation Park site mentioned

But some people at the public meeting said they want the new facility to be located on National Capital Commission land in Confederation Park, next to City Hall.

"I think it's the ideal site and I don't understand why that site wasn't considered to start with or if there is any reason why it can't be considered now," said John Westeinde, whose son Jonathan is the founder of Windmill, the group heading the redevelopment of the Chaudière Falls area next to LeBreton Flats.

Coun. Catherine McKenney represents Somerset ward, where most Centretown residents live, and is also a member of the Ottawa Public Library Board. She organized the meeting and plans to take the concerns voiced at the meeting to the board.

"I can tell you from what I heard tonight that people have a real appetite to have the central library located in the centre of the city and the core of the city," McKenney said.

Neither the library board chair, nor members of the library's management team attended the meeting. Some residents who turned out said they believe the board will rubber-stamp the library's preferred location at LeBreton Flats.

The Ottawa Public Library Board will vote on the LeBreton Flats site on Jan. 31. Ottawa City Council is expected to make the final decision in a vote on Feb. 8.