The wait is over for book worms in the Esquimalt.
The Greater Victoria Public Library held a grand opening event for its newly relocated branch in Esquimalt on Saturday.
Located inside Esquimalt Town Square, the new 10,000 square-foot library replaces the previous branch that had been operating inside the township’s municipal hall.
It features large windows, computers, study spaces, self-checkout stations, a dedicated children’s area, a digital media space and a diverse browsing collection.
Andy MacKinnon, GVPL board chair, said the new Esquimalt branch is a welcoming place for people of all ages.
“This library has been specifically designed to include spaces for children where we’ve got small furniture low tables and our bookshelves low to the ground surrounded by larger furniture for adults who are with the kids,” said MacKinnon. “We’ve got a space for teens, we’ve got our new digi-lab for exploring electronics. We have tried to build it as flexibly as we possibly can so it can welcome people of all abilities.”
The library was also constructed using green technology such as geothermal cooling and heating to minimize environmental impacts.
There are currently 12 GVPL branches in the region.
A woman reads The Cute Penguin to a child at the Esquimalt library branch on May 7, 2022. (CHEK News)
The new branch features large windows, computers, study spaces, self-checkout stations, a dedicated children’s area, a digital media space and a diverse browsing collection. It also features Squeakee The Balloon Dog toy. (CHEK News)
Hannah Lepine
