Radium celebrates grand opening of Community Centre/Library

Radium Hot Springs' new Community Centre also encompasses a brand new library.

The interior of new Radium Hot Springs Public Library is spacious, with a dedicated area for children and a cozy reading space for adults. — Photo courtesy Village of Radium/Facebook

It's not too often we get to talk about libraries in the Biz Blog column, so we are sort of excited to hear about the upcoming Grand Opening of the Village of Radium Hot Springs' new community centre which encompasses a brand new library, as well as a newly appointed library director.

Earlier this summer, Jacqueline Wagner was appointed the library's director. Here's a message from her:

"I am excited to join the staff of the Radium Hot Springs Public Library as the new Library Director, and to be a part of the Library’s expanding role in the community. I am thrilled to be able to utilize my BA Honours degree in History, and experience with Library Sciences, in a way that benefits the Valley that I grew up in. I hope to bring an optimistic outlook to libraries and the role they play in building strong and connected communities. I would like to see the Radium Hot Springs Public Library become a local hotspot for people of all age groups and other demographics. I plan to expand upon the exemplary services offered at the Radium Public Library to help maintain and grow this imperative public service. You can expect to see me working in the Library, coordinating programs and attending community events.

The Radium Hot Springs Public Library has moved to our new location inside the brand-new Radium Hot Springs Community Centre on 4863 Stanley St. Our new space is significantly larger than before. In addition to more space for books, we now have a designated children’s area, a cozy sitting area for adults, access to a multi-purpose room, and an outdoor patio. The Library also offers free Wi-Fi and will soon supply patron accessible computers.

— Photo courtesy Village of Radium/Facebook

Right now, we are currently working towards implementing new programs that aim to reach a wider audience. In addition to this, we plan to expand our programming for children and young adults to include more interactive learning opportunities.

We will now be able to host workshops, and bring in more local authors and community members as guest speakers. The Library’s collection will also have a more diverse selection in the months to come.

We are working towards increasing awareness about the services available at the Library and on our website. In addition to using our online resources, patrons can use our website to request interlibrary loans, read ebooks, and search our catalogue. We hope to continually expand and evolve our services to meet the changing needs of our community."

Radium holds the official grand opening of its new Community Centre and Library this Saturday, August 25th, 2018 — ribbon cutting at 3:15 and the open house is 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Congratulations to everyone in Radium on the recently completed $5.2 million project.