Renderings of exterior enhancements at Sarnia Library will be presented to city council on Monday.
Its recommended council either approve a proposed plan and advance the process for construction, or approve it and refer the proposal to the 2025 capital budget process.
Mayor Mike Bradley is surprised by the recommended cost.
"It's $800,000 that would come from our infrastructure reserve, which we need for some other immediate capital projects in the next year or so," said Bradley. "I do not believe this is the time to spend that kind of money -- close to a million dollars -- on that facility right now. Keeping in mind that we have spent a lot of money on that facility in the last five years or so."
Bradley thinks the proposal should be referred to budget deliberations.
"I do not think it should get an endorsement. It simply should go to budget [deliberations] to be looked at in the context of all the other needs of the taxpayers and homeowners in the city," he said.
An outdoor programming space with furniture and recreation stations is proposed for visitors.
Decorative security fencing around the existing overhang, lighting and accessibility upgrades, and emergency exit improvements are also proposed.
Mayor Bradley said he's not opposed to security enhancements.
"There have been a number of them done there already in the last couple of years, but this proposal right now at $800,000 that would come from our critically needed infrastructure reserve, I don't think this is the right time. They can proceed with whatever security things they need to do, and I like the overall direction on enhancing that space but this is not the time," he said.
More photos of the proposal can be viewed here.
In 2022, the County of Lambton hired security services as a result of illegal activity and disruptive behavior around the branch at Christina and Wellington Streets to increase safety.