Home Organizations & Associations Vancouver Island Library Board Sooke Library official grand opening coming up mid-June

Sooke Library official grand opening coming up mid-June

Community event on Sat June 11

sooke library
The new Sooke Library has an attractive spacious interior. [Feb 2022]
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Monday May 9, 2022 | SOOKE, BC

by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends


It’s like a midsummer night’s dream! Or déjà vu!

One year after an official tour of the new Sooke Library on Wadams Way in June 2021 (then still under construction), the official grand opening of the beautiful new facility is now coming up in June of this year.

“It is time to cut the ribbon and officially celebrate Sooke’s newest community amenity,” says David Carson, Director, Corporate Communications, Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL).

The 2 pm event on Saturday June 11, will see the Sooke branch of VIRL come alive with celebration, to officially open the state-of-the art new library after more than a decade of planning, consulting, and construction involving VIRL and the District of Sooke. 

sooke library, tour, june 2021
A celebration of Sooke Library construction was held on site on June 30, 2021. [Mary P Brooke – Island Social Trends]

“From the moment the new branch opened its doors to the public in early 2022, the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive,” says VIRL Board Chair, Gaby Wickstrom.

The celebrations had previously been scheduled for late March but were delayed because of a now-resolved labour disruption. The branch has been open to the public since February 25, 2022 and has seen strong library card registrations and visitor traffic since then. 

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Just getting started:

virl, chair, gaby wickstrom
VIRL Chair Gaby Wickstrom via Zoom during the April 9, 2022 board of trustees meeting.

“I cannot wait to visit the library firsthand, and it will be a special moment when I see all the smiling faces of community members who waited so long for it to happen.” said Wickstrom.

“This gorgeous new library is fast becoming a space of inspiration and excitement for Sooke library users, and it is just getting started,” she said in a news release today. 

Special day on June 11:

“The grand opening day promises to offer something for everyone,” says Carson.

That includes special guests in attendance, children’s programs, live entertainment, music, speeches, snacks, and refreshments. 

More information:

More information and reminders will be shared on the Sooke library Facebook page and with local media in the days and weeks ahead.  

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 ===== RELATED:

BCGEU librarians ratify collective agreement with Vancouver Island Regional Library (April 22, 2022)

Why does Sooke have a round library? (March 28, 2022)

VIRL postpones Sooke Library grand opening due to librarian strike (March 13, 2022)

===== ABOUT THE WRITER:

Mary Brooke, editor, West Shore Voice News
Mary P Brooke, Editor and Publisher, Island Social Trends.

Island Social Trends Editor Mary P Brooke has been covering news of the new Sooke Library since 2008. That was first when her publication was MapleLine Magazine, after which it became Sooke Voice News, then West Shore Voice News, before going fully online in mid-2020 as Island Social Trends.

Island Social Trends now covers the full south Vancouver Island region.