Administration will ask Prince George city council to approve an increase to the budget for a major skylight replacement at the downtown library branch on Monday, May 5.
This year’s approved budget for the city included $875,000 to replace the skylight at the Bob Harkins Branch of the Prince George Public Library.
The skylight dates back to the early 1980s and has deteriorated to the point where it leaks during storm events and causes other internal problems at the building, according to a report from city staff.
“The city has exhausted all options for repair and there are no further means to provide maintenance other than a complete replacement. The current infrastructure cannot be extended for another Prince George winter season,” the report said.
That report also said that when budget preparations were being made early in the summer of 2024, it was “prior to the volatility of the current market conditions of 2025.”
Those complications include a rise in the cost of materials and the complexity of arranging the work so that normal, safe operations can continue for both library staff and contractors without the need to close the facility.
Staff are asking for the project’s budget to be increased to $1.125 million, with the extra $250,000 coming from a $200,000 contribution from the Canada Community Building Fund and $50,000 from the city’s general infrastructure reinvestment fund.
The council meeting starts at 6 p.m. on the second floor of Prince George City Hall.
Once the new skylight is installed, it is estimated to have a lifespan of 30 to 40 years.
