Halifax council opts to pause demolition plan for Memorial Library

Halifax council is looking for possible adaptive reuse options for the old Memorial Library.

Halifax’s Memorial Library on Spring Garden Road has sat empty since 2014. The years-long debate on what to do with the property continued Tuesday when city council met.

The library, which was built in 1951 and received an addition in 1974, was granted a municipal heritage property designation in 2020.

A 2025 visual assessment of the building found that most of its components were in poor-to-failed condition, according to the city’s Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee.

The committee noted it could cost $7.8 million to address the current deficiencies. In 2020, a high-level cost estimate was projected at $15-to-20 million.

The future of the site is also complicated by the land’s former use as a burial ground and provincial laws preventing it from becoming anything other than a park, garden or library.

“Everybody who’s looked at this runs away once they get into the particulars, because it’s really expensive, it’s complex, and, you know, to boot, it’s sitting on a mass grave. So, this is not an easy site,” said Sam Austin, councillor for District 5.

In 2024, the prior council voted in favour of getting details on turning the site into a park, which would include the library’s partial or full demolition.

Earlier this month the Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee asked council to pause the consultant and demolition plan to seek interest for adaptive reuse options. That request was granted Tuesday.

“We’re really, you know, looking at losing our identity of place if we don’t make an effort to try to preserve some of our built heritage and this building is one of those buildings. It has a special significance to the city, to the people of this city,” said Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttell.

“I’m agnostic on whether the structure stays or not. What I want is a process that actually moves forward. We’re in year 10 or 12 now of trying to make a decision about what to do with that site and it’s enough now,” Mayor Andy Fillmore told reporters.

While some councillors are open to ideas from the private sector, others have heard from the public on their wishes for the property.

“There is a group of people right now who want to do something with that site and why would we not entertain that?” asked Becky Kent, councillor for District 3.

“I’ve gotten many emails from residents who said a visitor center, a museum, housing the list goes on and on. I haven’t heard anything from the private sector,” said Tony Mancini, councillor for District 6.

Brad Anguish, the city’s acting chief administrative officer, said he expects to come back to council to discuss next steps within the year.

With files from CTV’s Sean Mott and Callum Smith.

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