Province commits over $11.5 million to revamp the Guy-Sanche Library

Taylor Clark

The Government of Quebec invested $11,576,500 toward renovating and expanding Gatineau’s busiest library in its municipal network. 

“The Guy-Sanche Library plays a central cultural role in the community, and it is essential that it continue to offer quality services in an environment adapted to today's needs,” Gatineau Mayor Maude Marquis-Bissonnette wrote in a press release. “This expansion and modernization project had become a necessity to meet the expectations of Gatineau residents.”

Located in the Maison de la culture de Gatineau, the library has become a major cultural hub. Having been designed over 30 years ago, the structure now requires sizeable renovations to not only meet the current standards but also the future needs of the population.

Chapleau’s MNA Mathieu Lévesque accompanied Mathieu Lacombe, the Minister of Culture and Communications, Minister responsible for Youth and Minister responsible for the Outaouais region, to make the announcement on September 16. The support stemmed from the Capital Assistance program under the Ministry of Culture and Communications, which will allow the City to receive a contribution of up to 50 per cent of the project’s eligible expenses.

The complete renovation and expansion will total $46.8 million and allow the library to double its current surface area to 5,355 m². Along with the expansion, the existing space will be redeveloped to incorporate areas for children and adolescents, individual and group workshops, new collections as well as multimedia recording and production rooms.