The Bright's Grove Library expansion project took a significant leap forward Monday.
Sarnia council decided to amend the 10 year capital plan to include the project and proceed with procurement of architectural drawings.
Councillor Brian White said accessibility, which he said is virtually non-existent in the current structure, would be significantly improved.
"I think this is an opportunity now to fulfill a decades-long promise," said White. "It fulfills an obligation to the county to provide adequate space that has been thoroughly researched, appropriately allotted floor space, as I think the recommendation now comes back at 7,000 square feet even though guidelines indicated around 10,000, which I think is more than reasonable as a compromise."
The detailed design component is expected to cost between $300,000 and $350,000.
"We're talking about a historical property, that should we perhaps not move forward on an expansion, it may put the viability of that particular facility in question at which point we may end with either, again, millions of dollars of upkeep on a building that isn't being used potentially, or whatever the county decides to do with programming," he said.
White shared that the Gallery in the Grove group, which has been tasked with fundraising a percentage of the capital costs, has indicated that a donor has stepped forward who is prepared to make a very large donation.
"They have significant donations already lined up. At this point they could, in effect, be finished fundraising already. As soon as we amend this to the capital plan."
White said other grant opportunities could be pursued once the project was included in the capital plan.
Funds necessary for the drawings will be sourced from the capital infrastructure reserve or whatever account staff deem to be appropriate.
The full expansion project has been estimated to cost between $5 million and $8 million dollars.
Councillor Terry Burrell voted against the motion, saying they didn't have enough information to go ahead with it.
"I haven't seen in the community real support for this, to be honest with you," said Burrell. "There seems to be so many competing issues. We certainly have not received, that I'm aware of, any strong indication that this money (donation) is available. It's all in whispers. They don't have to make a commitment to us in public if they don't want to, but we should have had at least an in-camera report."
Burrell was adamant that the potential donations be verified and notarized.
"As opposed to, by gosh and by golly, we hope the money comes forward. I think it's been said here before that quite often when council says yes, everybody who has money (says) council's paying for it, why should I chip in."
Councillors Dave Boushy, Bill Dennis and Mayor Mike Bradley also opposed the motion.
The expansion would see a community hub created at the Faethorne House in Wildwood Park.