SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Constructing a library or cultural building on a portion of the vacant downtown 50/50 lot is the centrepiece of a revised proposal to redevelop the space shown to the public this week.

A conceptual drawing of how a library and cultural centre on the downtown 50/50 lot could look. - illustration courtesy of the City of Yellowknife

The idea comes as council seeks further public feedback on re-purposing the lot at the corner of 50 Avenue and 50 Street adjacent to Centre Square Mall. Over the past year, administration has been working on a proposal to turn the area now used for parking into a public plaza with art and potentially new entrances to the mall.

However, the idea for a library on the lot is only in the conceptual stage, has not been considered yet by council and a detailed cost estimate was not available.

Such a building could cost between $20 million and $40 million, estimated Simon Taylor, a consulting architect hired by the city to create rough designs for the space.

The existing library is in Centre Square Tower.

The new proposal was featured at sessions held Monday and Tuesday at city hall.

The city hoped to gather input on three projects: the Twin Pine Hill trail, a new waterfront park along Wiley Road in Old Town and several potential ways to redevelop the 50/50 lot downtown.

The new concept for 50/50 shown off by Taylor features a standalone library/cultural centre placed at the corner or built in the opposite corner along the walls of the mall. The original concept had such a facility proposed on vacant city-owned lots on 50 Street.

City staff still believe that having a library on the vacant lots the city owns farther down 50 Street is still the best option for revitalizing the area, said the city's director of planning and development Jeff Humble.

He said the initial concept, without a library, was developed knowing there isn't money set aside for a project on that scale.

A small handful of people were coming and going through the lunch-hour Tuesday eying the plans.

"It's just exciting to see the possibility for transformation in the downtown space," said Rae Braden, one of those at the session examining the plans.

"I'm quite interested in that they're looking at having a library and a kind of community centre," said Dot VanVliet. "I think it could be an important way to revitalize downtown and I like the idea of it being combined with a public space as long as it's designed to suit winter activities too."

She hopes any building would also contain public art gallery space and rooms for public talks or gatherings.

"That would really bring people into the downtown at night," she said.

Feedback from those who attended the sessions this week will be incorporated into a report that will be presented at a municipal services committee meeting in the future, Humble said.

Coun. Julian Morse was one of those examining the proposals but said he'd offer his thoughts on the ideas when it comes back to council for discussion.

"I'm looking forward to hearing what city staff bring back to us from the consultation," he said.

During one of the final meetings before the election of the new council, councillors voted to accept the staff report proposing the plaza but also asked staff to hold more public consultation on the 50/50 lot funded with leftover money from the first report, further grants from CanNor or other methods. They also voted to have staff continue negotiations with the mall owners.

It wasn't clear how much the new concepts and the consultation cost the city.

"Streetscaping" 50 Street, which includes money for the 50/50 lot work, has been tentatively allocated in the city's draft 2016 budget.

Over the next three years, the city forecasts to spend $4.25 million to repave, add trees along the street and redevelop the lot as a plaza should council go that route. The budget, not yet approved by council, shows $1.6 million would be spent in the first year on the work.

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