Community pledges for the Bright’s Grove Library and Community Room project have soared to $520,000, while the architect has offered to cut a contentious $212,000 invoice in half just before the critical budget vote.
A massive surge in community fundraising has strengthened the position of the Bright's Grove Library and Community Room project just before a crucial budget meeting where its fate will be decided.
The project's volunteer committee has confirmed that community pledges have grown from the previously reported $380,000 to approximately $520,000, with more pledges still to be officially quantified.
The project is moving forward on the technical side, with Passa and Associates Architects confirming that the building design is now ready to be put out for tender. City staff, however, estimate a minimum of six weeks before the tendering process can begin.
A major point of contention in the ongoing dispute has been an outstanding $212,000 invoice to the City of Sarnia for the architectural firm's services. This cost has been attributed to the increased project complexity since 2020 and the multiple years it has taken to reach the current stage.
City staff have previously advised that this invoice represents "fair market value" and recommended its payment.
In a new development, the architectural firm has offered to decrease that amount by 50%, bringing the outstanding payment down to approximately $106,000.
The project, which Mayor Mike Bradley unilaterally removed from the 2026 budget using "strong mayor powers," now faces a final decision at an upcoming budget meeting.
Supporters are being urged to take two immediate actions to help reinstate the funding:
For the project to move forward, its proponents must secure a two-thirds "super-majority" (six of nine) council votes to override the mayor's veto and restore the $2 million in funding to the 2026 budget.
