The Castlegar library board says a plan to install a solar array on their roof and indoor LED lighting isn’t coming along as quickly as hoped.
Chair Nova MacDougall and treasurer Leeza Perehudoff recently spoke to city council, which provides the library with a little more than half of its overall operating funds.
They explained the Columbia Basin Trust provided a $45,000 sustainability grant toward the projects but they won’t be able to spend it in time.
“We are going to be unable to meet the deadline of Feb. 28 for implementing even a portion of this,” Perehudoff said. “Unfortunately, due to challenges within the library and the city as well, we just weren’t able to see progress on this made.”
She said they will apply for an extension and will have to provide a new projected completion date.
Meanwhile, the library also received over $250,000 in a one-time enhancement grant from the provincial government to be spent by the end of 2025.
Some of the money has been earmarked for a new circulation clerk. However, Perehudoff said coupled with other donations they would also like to look at building enhancements.
The library has requested the city to maintain the status quo in its annual funding.
