A Little Free Library, a strucuture where reading enthusiasts can take and exchange books,is something West Park residents may see in the future. (Photo 97404307 © Helissa Gründemann - Dreamstime.com)

By Josh Ryan

Take one, leave one

West Park resident looking to establish Little Free Library

Aug 20, 2020 | 5:57 PM

Battleford residents in the West Park subdivision who enjoy a good book could have another option for finding new material in the near future.

Local resident Vivian Graw wants to establish a Free Little Library off of Saskatchewan drive and West Park Crescent, next to the bus stop shelter. A Little Free Library is a small structure that operates on a “take a book, leave a book” basis. An avid reader, Graw said she got the idea while travelling.

“I noticed them when I visited other cities and thought that would make a great addition to my neighbourhood,” she said.

Graw is prepared at this time to bear all costs of building and maintaining the library and has the approval from multiple groups for the go ahead. The Town of Battleford approved her request to construct the structure during Monday’s council meeting and she received an endorsement from the Battleford Library. In a letter, Branch Librarian Lane Jackson said, “a Little Free Library is a great addition to a neighbourhood and encourages literacy in all persons of all ages and it provides access to reading material during hours that the public library is not open.”

“I’m so excited to get this going, I think it will be a lot of fun,” Graw said.

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However, she isn’t going to officially begin any work until she’s had further discussion with the region’s medical health officer. Despite the approval to undertake the project, Graw said she wants to cover all her bases on proper guidelines to follow before proceeding, in the interest of safety.

“I just want to be sure that I’m not putting the community at any risk,” she said. “That it’s a safe thing before I go ahead.”

The proposed location and a rendering of a potential design. (Submitted Photo/Vivian Graw)

Mayor Ames Leslie said this is the first time he can remember someone wanting to start a Little Free Library and that council is excited with.

“It helps to promote reading and bringing the community together,” he said.

In addition to the promotion of literacy and lack of potential costs to taxpayers, council members were also enticed by the service it could provide West Park residents.

“For the kids to come down riding their bikes, or some of the residents who live up there, it’s a long way to the local library,” Leslie said. “So I think this fits a potential need there, where they can just exchange books, without having to leave their little community.”

Depending on the interest once Graw can establish the library, there’s other potential for more. Councillor Shelley Boutin-Gervais posited that “perhaps there could be a possibility to put different Little Free Libraries in other spots in the community, if it is a success.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports