The new North London library location will be opening November 2010.

The City of London, the YMCA of Western Ontario and London Public Library with the Government of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities lifted their ceremonial shovels and dug into their new joint venture May 22: the North London Community Recreation Centre, YMCA & Library.

About the Centre

920 Sunningdale Road East

The facility will offer a suite of cultural, leisure and recreational services, including Spectrum programs offered by the City through the YMCA and a full service Library Branch.

A reflection of the demographics of the neighbourhood, the centre is designed to engage the community and satisfy residents' needs for all aspects and ages of their lives.

At 8,000 square feet, the new Branch Library will be nearly 4 times the size of Northridge Branch which closes June 19. It will have larger fiction and subject collections and a range of spaces such as a "Discover Place" showcasing high demand and topical collections, a wonderful children's area, an inviting Teen Annex, a leisure reading area, meeting space and study rooms.

The other great feature of this new location is that it is being built to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold specifications, which means it is exceptionally environmentally friendly in design, construction and operation. Sustainable design features include provision for bicycle storage/ alternative vehicles, green roof/ white roof, water conservation (eg. no irrigation for landscaping), optimized energy performance, energy efficient lighting, designated recycling area, use of local materials, indoor environment quality including low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) materials, pollutant controls, thermal and lighting controls, 90% daylit spaces.