North Huron Council receives petition with nearly 400 signatures opposing Blyth Library move

BY SCOTT STEPHENSON

Kathryn Aires presented a petition containing almost 400 signatures to North Huron Council on Monday, Oct. 21. The petition requests that the Blyth Library remain at a central, accessible location on Queen Street, rather than moving it to the second floor of the Blyth and District Community Centre. While the township has made no formal plans to do so at this point, a Sept. 16 staff report recommended that the 2025 budget allocate $30,000 for design work and building assessments for the potential project.

 

Aires spoke to council about the experience of gathering the signatures for the petition. “I am confident there would have been more if I had time to go around a second time to the homes of the people who were not home at the time,” she offered. Aires also expressed to council why she felt it was appropriate to petition at this time. “We understand that this is a proposal. But proposals do have ends. And we are hoping you will consider what the residents of Blyth want, and that is for the library to stay where it is when you do come to a conclusion on this proposal.” Aires also clarified that, should the library need to be moved to the arena grounds, that it should not be on the second floor of the building.

 

Deputy-Reeve Kevin Falconer thanked Aires for her efforts in communicating the desires of the community to council, and added that the township has the responsibility to look at all of its assets when considering this kind of relocation project. “The petition is a little ahead of itself,” he explained. “Council hasn’t even seen any information back yet to even propose using the second floor, much less using any of the other facilities the township owns... I thank you for the petition, but it’s a little early.”

 

Aires responded that she understood there were other avenues to consider for the potential library relocation. “It’s all part of the process for the proposal,” she said. “But as for jumping ahead of the gun on a petition - absolutely not. We have every right to voice our opinion prior to any input on this proposal. Because we want our voices heard.”

 

Clerk Carson Lamb then explained council’s options when it comes to petitions. “Under council’s Petition Policy, council has the discretion whether to accept the petition or not, and council’s decision is final. So really, you have a couple of options. You can receive the petition for information purposes, which means, basically, that you’re going to take it into your consideration as this process continues to move forward. Or you could accept the petition and direct staff to include a motion to reconsider your previous motion from the Sept. 16 meeting, which was basically to ask staff to report back to council on exploring the feasibility of relocating the Blyth Library. Council can take any direction that you see fit on the petition.”

 

Councillor Mitch Wright moved to accept the petition for information purposes, explaining that he didn’t want to reconsider his Sept. 16 motion, as it also includes a request for a report on the feasibility of refurbishing the second floor community hall. “I don’t want to lose that,” he explained. Falconer seconded the motion, which received approval from council.