What we're hearing from Goulais Ave

Sault Ste. Marie Public Library will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Korah branch on Friday, Dec. 1, members of the library board learned last night.

The west-end Korah branch library opened Dec. 1, 1967 in the former Korah Township offices, one year after the main downtown Centennial Library was completed.

The main floor of the Korah building had been vacant since Jan. 1, 1965, when the township amalgamated with the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

In 1975 the building's lower level was renovated to accommodate an expanded children’s department after the local Emergency Measures Organization moved out.

The library board was also advised last night that a grand opening will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at the Northern Community Centre, in which Korah Branch is now located.

Featuring two large indoor soccer pitches separated by a retractable dividing curtain, change rooms, showers, bleachers, a full-service concession and a meeting room, the community centre at 556 Goulais Ave. officially opened in Oct. 2012.

This year, Steelton Senior Citizens’ Centre closed and its programming was relocated to Northern Community Centre, sharing space with the public library.

The original idea was to bring children and seniors together there, but the two groups didn't always mix well and barriers were set up to create separate spaces.

Next month's opening celebration will be organized in conjunction with the City of Sault Ste. Marie and the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce.

Other items we book-marked (dog-eared, actually) from Monday night's library board meeting:

• by Sept. 30, library patrons had paid a total of $13,593 in fines this year
• both Centennial and Korah branch libraries will offer customer appreciation days this Thursday (Oct. 19). There will be cake. And coffee.
• the following were presented tonight with 2017 Volunteer and Donor Awards: Judy McGonigal, Zonta Club, Rotary Club North, Kiwanis Club - Lakeshore, Kiwanis Club - Sault Ste. Marie, Friends of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library
• library staff are preparing a Game of Thrones-themed tree for this year's Festival of Trees, Nov. 16 through Nov. 19 at the Machine Shop
• Service Canada will offer a free public workshop on Canada Pension Plan disability benefits, from 10 a.m.to noon this Wednesday (Oct. 18)