Miramichi reopens talks on how to replace library operating in former Tim Hortons

A new Miramichi city council has reopened the discussion on how to replace the demolished Chatham Public Library, which is operating temporarily in a small downtown Chatham storefront.

Miramichi reopens talks on how to replace library operating in former Tim Hortons Chatham Public Library now in temporary space a third of its previous size For a year and a half now, the Chatham Public Library has been operating out of a former Tim Hortons storefront in downtown Chatham, with just a third of the space it once had. The reduced size means a reduction in the on-site collection from more than 24,000 items down to about 8,000, and the conversion of one of two bathrooms to a storage closet.

Patrons in the downtown library are still smiling inside the 2,000-square-foot space, but there are only eight seats for members of the public. And the lack of space means things such as a classroom visit from Grade 4 students participating in the Hackmatack reading program must take place outside library hours. “There wasn't room to bring the teacher and the students into the library and have the public in at the same time,” said library board chair Marjorie Sinclair.

‘Structural issues’ led to demolition of former library The small space is a temporary fix. In late 2023, Miramichi city staff determined the previous library building, a few blocks away in Elm Park, had issues inside its walls caused by a leaking roof. Mayor Veronique Arsenault, who sat as a councillor at the time, said the council decided to replace the 6,100-square-foot building instead of fixing it, “given how many structural issues there were.”

By November 2024, the old building was closed to the public and later demolished. In January 2025, library services reopened in the much smaller, temporary location on Water Street. After debating possible leased space options in the city, the council of the time decided to pursue construction of a new library, with an estimated cost of about $7.4 million.

The decision meant delaying the first phase of design for a new police station, as well as a shoreline protection project. Then in May 2026, when the time came to award a library design contract worth about $500,000, a new council had been elected, and some new council members expressed doubts about previous decisions. “Every election brings new thoughts and new perspectives to the council,” Arsenault said.

The new councillors “really want to make sure they're making the right decision that is a fiscally responsible one." To build or to lease? And that means reopening the discussion about potential leasing options in the city.

The Chatham Town Centre, where the temporary library now operates, has offered up a second, unconnected 4,500-square-metre space to supplement the current library storefront. And another developer, Breakwater Consulting Ltd., offered up the ground floor of a building it intends to construct across the street from Elm Park, with a footprint of 5,200 square feet. Neither option is favoured by Marjorie Sinclair, who said a purpose-built library at the former location in Elm Park is the "best case scenario" from her perspective as board chair.

Patrons thought new building was ‘done deal’ Sinclair said she was discouraged when the new council decided to revisit the decision to build a new library. She said she’s heard from some of the more than 4,000 people with Chatham Public Library cards who thought the new building had been “a done deal.” ”They miss the former space,” said Sinclair, referring to a space that included the larger collection, programming options, and increase in social opportunities, especially for seniors.

A needs assessment from the New Brunswick Public Library service recommended a 10,000-square-foot facility, but Sinclair said the last council’s plan for a new 6,400-square-foot building would have been acceptable. Sinclair said she recognizes financial constraints of the city, but at a time when New Brunswick’s literacy skills are low, library services are vital. In spring 2025, Grade 4 literacy rates were as low as 55 per cent in the province.

But the Grade 4 students who finished the Hackmatack program at the Chatham Public Library were “all into reading” by the program's end, said Sinclair. “They were getting books, some of them got library cards,” she said. ”They were excited to come see the library.”

Renewed process will take time Mayor Arsenault said the discussion around the council table last week shows that councillors all “see the value of a library,” and are “ready to move forward with what the options are before them in this time of, you know, some fiscal restraint.” Last week, the council voted 5-4 to issue a new request for expressions of interest, looking for developers interested in leasing current or to-be-constructed spaces for the library. That will take some time for city staff to put together, Arsenault said.

In the meantime, council has yet to decide what to do about the current proposed contract award for the design of a new building. The issue will be on the agenda when council holds its next regular meeting on July 21.