The United Church will be transformed into a green and inclusive building to host the Jean-Marc Belzile Library thanks to a $5,613,116 investment from the federal government.
This announcement was made by Stéphane Lauzon, Member of Parliament for Argenteuil-La Petite-Nation and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Citizens' Services and Bernard Bigras-Denis, Mayor of Lachute.
The conversion of the United Church into a library offers an exceptional opportunity to combine heritage, culture, and sustainable development. By rehabilitating and restoring this historic building, the project contributes to preserving local architecture while addressing environmental needs through the integration of energy-efficient measures. This initiative is part of an eco-friendly vision that highlights the community's built heritage while modernizing it into a contemporary and accessible space.
The new Jean-Marc Belzile Library will offer modern, diverse, and welcoming spaces designed to meet the needs of the entire community. It will include a multipurpose room dedicated to cultural activities, training sessions, and mediation programs, as well as a youth area designed to accommodate families with a breastfeeding corner, storytelling steps, multimedia spaces, and areas dedicated to play, animation, and reading. A specially designed teen space, a friendly café corner, and a thematic display area will enrich the experience for all visitors. In addition to self-service lending stations, the library will provide individual and collaborative workspaces, a news lounge, enhanced reading areas, and even an outdoor terrace where people can enjoy reading and relaxing. This ambitious project truly reflects a vision of accessibility, inclusion, and innovation in the service of culture, education, and collective well-being.
In addition to its positive environmental impact, this project offers significant socio-economic and cultural benefits for the community. The new library, located at the heart of the downtown revitalization plan, will become an attractive, modern, and inclusive gathering place suitable for all types of clientele. It will promote access to knowledge, culture, and education while contributing to revitalizing the downtown area and enhancing its appeal. This innovative reuse of a heritage site will create a vibrant and welcoming space that meets the current and future needs of Lachute's residents.
