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Airdrie City Council decided on the size of the proposed new library and multi-use facility during the May 17 council meeting, going with the maximum proposed option.
Council agreed that the new library would be 60,000 sq. ft., with the multi-use facility being a maximum of 25,000 sq. ft.
The decision didn’t come easily, as concerns about facility size and the cost of development were prominent throughout discussion.
Demographic projections from the City of Airdrie’s Planing Department estimates a medium growth scenario. Population is expected to reach about 80,000 in 2024, and around 100,000 in 2030.
Mark Mehrer, Senior Principal of Resource Planning Group Inc. (RPG), benchmarked the Airdrie Public Library to other similar sized communities in Alberta.
Mehrer also used the Alberta Best Practices Space Calculation to find out projected needs for the new library.
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