Committee officially struck for New Community Commons at 14 Church capital campaign

Chair yet to be appointed; committee hoping for more community participation

The New Community Commons capital campaign advisory committee held its first meeting at the St. Marys Public Library Dec. 3.

By Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The work to help the Town of St. Marys raise funds in support of the New Community Commons revitalization of 14 Church St. N, the former Mercury Theatre, has officially begun after an ad-hoc fundraising advisory committee held its first meeting Dec. 3.

Hosted at the St. Marys Public Library, the first committee meeting was attended mostly by St. Marys library board members, as well as library CEO Sarah Andrews, representatives from Friends of Library, St. Marys BIA board chair Megan Feeney and a few other St. Marys residents interested in supporting the cause.

“We’re very excited to get this project launched,” Andrews said, kicking off the meeting. “Across the street, (14 Church St. N) was purchased several years ago by the town, and (the library) was one of the first groups in town to be approached about it. We’ve had multiple years of discussing what we would potentially do with the space across the street, and we have a fairly well-developed plan that’s come together, working with the town, to determine what allocations of space could happen.

“ … That went to council and, just a few months ago, council gave us the go ahead for us to explore this project further, but one of the issues that was raised fairly quickly was what the cost of this project is going to be on the tax base, and we are trying to keep the tax base’s debt on this as low as possible. So, it was suggested to (the library), as the anchor tenant of the building, that we perhaps launch a fundraising campaign.”

With preliminary estimates as to how much it will cost the town to renovate the building’s interior in accordance with the Community Commons master plan approved by council in August ranging between $4 million and $5 million, and other potential funding sources identified including funding from the town’s development charges reserve and as-of-yet unidentified government grants, Andrews said it will fall to the capital campaign advisory committee to come up with a fundraising goal, identify and approach potential donors for support, plan and host fundraiser events and activities, promote the campaign and celebrate contributions from the community, and encourage community buy-in for the project as a whole.

Though the committee does not have any real decision-making power of its own – it will make recommendations to the library board’s fundraising committee, and the library board will consider and refine those recommendations before bringing them to council for consideration – Andrews and library board chair Dr. Cole Atlin said it is important for the capital campaign advisory committee to be primarily community driven to help residents understand the importance of the space at 14 Church St. N for the library and other town departments, organizations, businesses, services clubs and individuals.

“The library is bursting,” Andrews said. “Based on a consultant’s report, we need 2,800 more square feet than we have now, today, never mind in the future. The proximity of the project to our building is just so perfect because it means staff are not getting in vehicles to drive to the (Pyramid Recreation Centre) to staff space, or wherever. Other town departments are also pinched for space. The Friendship Centre can’t program more than they do. There is a need for community space that is no cost or low cost for the Rotary Club or for knitting circles or for Amnesty International or the art group. The library is really the only space where people can meet.

“ … The more space we have, the more the community is using us. We have quite a number of community groups that are accessing our space, and it becomes a matter of adult learning can’t function when the classroom is being used by the Law Society of Ontario, so they have to go elsewhere or we have to decline the rental. If somebody wants to use the Makerspace and there’s a confidential meeting with (the Canadian Mental Health Association), they can’t. So, we’re to that point with library programs, generally, where we’re out of space.”

Though the committee opted not to appoint a chair at the Dec. 3 meeting in hopes the project can draw more interest and participation from the community at its next meeting, members did lend their support to the library board getting the ball rolling by approaching local insurance companies and banks, as well as services clubs, to try and solicit early financial commitments to the project.

The committee also discussed how donors, businesses, service clubs and other organizations might be recognized at 14 Church St. N for their contributions. While a number of suggestions were discussed, no decision was made.

The New Community Commons capital campaign advisory committee will meet again on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. upstairs at the library. Members have once again extended an invitation to anyone in the community interested in supporting the project either by serving on the committee or supporting it financially.