Floor space is not a new issue for the Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) system. In 1951 what is now the Waverley Library was built and the Port Arthur Public Library moved operations to the new location. In 1974 a new addition was built onto Waverley to meet the needs of the public who utilized the library system. Even with the addition, TBPL still fell short of the provincial average for space and in a few short years the system was once again looking to see what other expansions could take place in Thunder Bay’s north side. One idea was to expand an existing library upward, this would be ruled out just as quickly as it was pitched. The next idea was a new branch, in a different part of Port Arthur. County Fair, Jumbo Gardens, and Castlegreen neighbourhoods were fast growing in the 1970’s and 80’s and the County Fair Plaza was selected as a prime location for this new envisioned branch.
TBPL began lobbying to the City Council in 1987 outlining the need for a new branch in the north ward. In 1989 a local group in the County Fair area began a petition to convince the city that the new branch was in high demand, hundreds signed. Unfortunately these calls to action were fruitless and Council did not approve the capital for a new library during the 1992 budget sessions.
Entering on the scene was the Friends of the Public Library’s 1993 Bucks for Books Campaign. The goal was to raise $125,000 for the new library in the northwest corner of the city, $100K for collection development and $25K for furnishings. This campaign saw various fundraisers to help the organization meet their goal including bowling for books, bridge for books, bingos, raffles, a clothing show and sale, and a donation matching drive with the County Fair Plaza Canadian Tire outlet. By October 1994, $64K was raised by the campaign. Funding for the new library came from various other sources as well such as the Library board reserves which gave $39,000 to their County Park Development Fund, $67,000 came from a successful Community Facilities Improvement Program application, and a collection from Ms. Ellafern Pointdexter who launched her second poetry collection, I Never Measured My Life Out By a Teaspoon, at the Waverley Library. For every book sold at the launch, she donated 20% of the sale towards the new library.
In 1994 City Council approved the library’s 1995 budget, which included the funds for the creation of the new branch. January 1995 the Library Board officially approved the opening of the County Park Branch Library, which would be located next to the Canadian Tire outlet in County Fair Plaza with a planned grand opening for October 25th. In June 1995, construction suffered a few setbacks leading it to start later than planned which delayed the opening to November 25th. The library took possession in late October and things were on track for the November opening until the carpet delivery did not arrive on time, which set the opening back another few weeks to December 1995.
The County Park Branch Library officially opened its doors on December 9th, 1995. With a decline in provincial library funding in 1995/1996, the County Park Library would never have existed if not for the community who organized behind the Thunder Bay Public Library Board and Staff to see it through to its completion. During its first year of service, the County Park Branch Library circulated 126,500 items. In 1996 the Bucks for Books Campaign came to a close as the Friends of the Library fulfilled their $125,000 goal to the new library. While the library has moved around in the County Fair Plaza Mall, the branch still remains as a statement that represents how a community came together to donate their time and money to make their dream a reality.
Join us at the County Park Library for a birthday celebration on December 11th, 2025. The event will have a celebration for adults from 1-2:30pm and a children’s celebration from 3:30-5pm.
If you would like to learn more about Thunder Bay Public Library’s storied history or anything else Thunder Bay and District related, contact us at research@tbpl.ca.
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