Rendering by G. Bruce Stratton Architects
In the midst of rumored cuts to Toronto Public Library (TPL) services, a major renovation taking
place at the Mount Denis branch is a welcome sight.
Located in the west end of the city at the intersection of Eglinton Avenue West and Weston Road,
Mount Dennis library has been a staple in the community since it opened in 1932. Originally farther up
on Eglinton, it moved to its current location at 1123 Weston Road in 1951.
The 4.3 million dollar project is being paid for by the city’s capital budget and is part of a 10-
year plan that will see the renovation of libraries that are in the most need of repairs.
Toronto’s capital budget, accounts for money that is reserved for long-term projects. It is not
funded by the operating budget, which accounts for day-to-day costs, so the process should be a
smooth one.
Barbara Tinsley an area manager for the TPL says that barring unforeseen circumstances, the new
Mount Dennis should re-open sometime in 2013.
“All we know at this point is that it will be closed for 12 to 18 months,” she said. “When they were
rebuilding the Bloor branch there was a shortage of steel and that slowed down the project, so there
can be things like that, that happen and nobody has any control over. At this point it doesn’t appear
that there will be any problems and it should go as quickly as they can do it.”
Emira Galeteanu, the design architect for the project from G. Bruce Stratton Architects says she is
also hopeful of the one-year deadline.
“With renovation projects it’s a little harder to figure exactly how the date is going to work,” she
said. “When the dry wall is up you don’t even know what the structure really looks like, and what the
pipes really look like. Once the demolition takes place and you see what the structure is about then
you have a better idea on how long it’s going to take. So it could be shorter, or it could be a little
longer. But theoretically it should be about a year.”
As an area manager, Tinsley is accountable for the public service at TPL’s around the city.
“ The branches are divided into six areas and I am responsible for the areas that are called Albion,
York Woods, and Maria A. Shchuka. There are 16 libraries in this area and it’s sort of the northwest
corner of the city.”
During the renovation Tinsley says Mount Dennis regulars can still get their book needs filled.
“The contractor took over the site on November 7, so people are going to different branches that
are in the area,” she said. “There are quite a few libraries that people can use but the Weston branch
seems to be the one that people are going too.”
Tinsley explained that hiring the architects for the renovation is a process.
“When a building project comes up the library goes out to tender for an architect,” she said.
“Architects bid on the projects and then they come and present their ideas for the building and then
the library picks an architect.”
Members of G. Bruce Stratton Architects were chosen to create the design for the new Mount
Dennis, with input from the library staff and members of the neighborhood.
“People in the community sent emails and they could fill out forms in the branch,” Tinsley said.
“We also had meetings, spoke to people about what they wanted, and had some focus groups.
Those suggestions get put into the plan for what we want in the new library. Good architects will really
listen to what the client wants and try and incorporate it.”
As part of the team responsible for designing the new library, Galeteanu says collaboration is
important.
“We have almost weekly meetings on how the plans are going, TPL staff tell us what they like
what they don’t like about it,” she said. “Whether it’s about the facade or whether it’s about what’s
going on the inside everything has to go through them. How Mount Dennis works and what would be
better for the branch. The plan goes through a lot of changes before the final layout.”
Mirko Zupancic, project architect for the renovation has been with G. Bruce Stratton Architects
for more than fourteen years. Zupancic says the firms experience designing libraries may have been a
factor when they were chosen to re-design Mount Dennis.
G. Bruce Stratton Architects are responsible for the renovations at Runnymede, Long Branch,
Bayview, Black Creek and Woodside Square libraries.
“There is a learning curve and I guess when you are unfamiliar with library projects or how they’re
used you can make rookie mistakes,” Zupancic said. “We’ve done a few so were familiar with how
the system works. At the same time I don’t think they would deny anyone if they hadn’t done a
library.”
Steelcore Construction Ltd is currently working on the site with a budget of 2.86 million dollars.
The process of finding a contractor is similar to that of finding an architect.
“We will design everything, but it’s a public tender process,” Zupancic said. “We’ll put together a
package of drawings and specifications and we’ll pre-qualify ten or eleven contractors. They will
submit bids as to what they believe it costs to build this project, and then the library will choose the
bidder based on the requirements.”
Aesthetics will not be the only change coming to Mount Dennis, Tinsley says the amenities will
improve as well.
“There will be twice as many computers as there were before, and there’s a really nice separate
area for youth,” she said. “There will certainly be more lounge space and more study space. We’ve
been able to add a couple of private study rooms so kids working on projects who need to work
together will be able to use those rooms.”
Tinsley says the children’s department will also include a feature called the KidsStop, which is a
pre-reading early literacy centre with activities to introduce reading to school age and preschool
children.
“It’s a feature that the TPL started to put in all its branches, so the libraries that have been
renovated in the last two to three years have this feature in them,” she said. “It will be fun. The kids
really enjoy it and they don’t know that they’re actually learning but they are.”
The revitalized Mount Dennis will also include a bigger meeting room equipped with audio/video
equipment, so that the branch will be able to show films Tinsley says.
“I know there’s no movie theatre near by and that was one of the things that people said they
would really like to see,” she said. “The room is still in the same space, it will just be completely
updated and upgraded with new equipment and it will be a little better arranged to watch films.”
Although Tinsley says the footprint of the library will remain the same size, the new design will
use the old layout in new ways.
“ We’ve been able to take the space that’s between the library and the next building and put in a
reading garden,” she said. “I think it will be lovely, it will have some benches and it should just be a
pleasant green space, with plants which should be great.”
During the libraries demolition process old fixtures resurfaced.
“We uncovered a fireplace that was covered up in the ‘84 renovation,” Tinsley said. “We’ve been
able to unearth it and use it as a center piece for what were calling the urban living room, which will
be a nice comfortable seating area.”
The only unfortunate thing Tinsley sees about the renovation process is that people have to go
elsewhere for a time. She says she understands it’s inconvenient, but hopeful that when they come
back to Mount Dennis they’ll think it’s worth it.
Zupancic says the updated library will be great for the community.
“ I think the renovation is going to get some renewed interest in the library, ” he said. “From
the public meetings we’ve had, people are generally interested in seeing the library improve.”
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- Rendering by G. Bruce Stratton Architects
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- Mount Dennis library under construction – December 10, 2011 *image taken by me*
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- Mount Dennis library in 2010 *image taken by me*
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- The renovated Thorncliffe Branch
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- The renovated S. Walter Stewart branch May 28, 2008
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- Reading Centre at the Thorncliffe Branch
* All unclaimed photos are property of the Toronto Public Library and the Toronto Star *
