The new home for the Abbotsford Downtown Business Association (ADBA), Tourism Abbotsford, UFV CityStudio, and Banter Ice Cream has officially opened.
The renovated Centennial Building – the former Matsqui Centennial Library at 33660 South Fraser Way, next to Jubilee Park – celebrated its opening on Monday morning (Sept. 14).
Mayor Henry Braun said the building will be a key community gathering space and innovation hub within the growing Historic Downtown.
“Historic Downtown Abbotsford continues to be a vibrant and dynamic neighbourhood in our community, and this new space will support community connections and growth in our city,” he said.
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The building features 5,500 square feet of space, including offices and retail space for a commercial kitchen, and an exterior deck space – with an accessibility ramp – overlooking the park.
Energy-efficiency improvements include upgrades to building insulation, heating, ventilation and cooling systems, and the replacement of windows and doors.
The Centennial Library building was constructed in 1967 as a community project for the celebration of Canada’s confederation. After more than 40 years in service, the building was closed in 2012.
The city initiated the renovation program in 2018. The total cost of the renovations was $1.3 million, with partial project funding of $500,000 from Federal Gas Tax Funds.
City council initially approved a budget of $700,000 to renovate the old library, but a new design resulted in council almost doubling the amount in May 2019.
