Well since another group did send out an email to each candidate and asking how important a Central Library is to them, I would rather read all the candidate's answers for myself. Perhaps you can cut and paste them and make them available to your members?
In fact, dv2020.ca has just started posting the results of a question about a library on their website. Not all candidates have responded yet, the questionnaire was only sent a few days ago, but out of those who have, who you didn't interview, I'll extract the relevant responses.
The question:
How hard will you work on issues such as building a new and up-to-date Central Library, and encouraging institutions such as the Art Gallery, or University to come downtown?
Rob ReidThis is a great opportunity to breathe life into our downtown. These ideas need to be given as much priority as social issues we have been addressing. Quality of life in Victoria can grow with projects/ developments that define “our culture”. I will work with the PCC to guarantee that their properties are used productively to enhance our downtown core and achieve their objectives.
Susan Woods:A new Central Library is long overdue. The libraries in both Vancouver and Seattle are not only modern informational facilities but have become tourist attractions in their own right. I would also commit to expand downtown university campuses and encourage both the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and the Maritime Museum of BC in their quest for new, purpose-built facilities.
Robert Randall:I support a new Centennial Square Library. It's been ten years, we need to set things in motion soon. The art gallery has been fighting for a Downtown location for years now as well. We need a wide range of private and public partners to make this happen and to show that Downtown would benefit from a new gallery as other cities around the world know very well. It's good for residents, visitors and business.
Joseph BoutiellierThe quality educational, cultural and historical attractions of Victoria have proved to be the most prosperous and valuable of our downtown investments, and we must continue this legacy with continued priority for the development of new facilities and amenities for residents and visitors. These proposals should be top priorities among tourism and economic-development initiatives.
Pieta Van DykeI support locating the Central Library as part of the Centennial Square re-development, which has been on the books for a long time. I also support the desire of the Art Gallery to move downtown, but as they require a 50,000 sq. ft stand alone building, which should also have outdoor landscaping/sculpture court and parking, finding space large enough will be a challenge. I do not feel that there is sufficient space next to the Crystal Gardens and do not support building it on the Cridge Park/lawn bowling sites. My preference is to revive the 1994 proposal to locate the Art Gallery on the south shore of Rock Bay. An architecturally outstanding gallery on this site would add to the tourism appeal of the city, and would serve as a “target” to move pedestrians north through downtown, the design district and Chinatown, serving to enliven these parts of downtown. The Art Gallery also has a role to play in mounting a capital campaign, as the city has very limited funds to put towards this project.
If you let me know who else you ignored in your interview process, I'll see what I can dig up for you.
Actually I didn't see
Hugh Kruzel on your list yet on
his site among his short list of 6 beliefs he says:
4. public libraries: Victoria is a reading
town, however, investment is out of
sync with needs. Ask the other candidates
when was the last time they used any library.