New Tecumseth library funding axed by Essa
By Richard Blanchard

Over 300 Essa Township residents will have to pay their own way, beginning January 1, if they want to continue to use the public libraries in New Tecumseth.

Essa council recently confirmed its decision to not pay for township residents' memberships for the libraries in New Tecumseth in 2008.

Baxter area councillor Ron Henderson said that he had already received some complaints about the change, which will end an 80 year policy which has seen Essa township contribute to the Alliston library. After amalgamation in 1991, the township also contributed to the New Tecumseth library.

Janine Harris-Wheatley, the township's librarian said that the library board made the recommendation that the payments to New Tecumseth be ended last summer.

"Its pretty rare for a township that has its own library system to pay for memberships in other municipalities. And, frankly, we can use the $10,000 towards our own libraries."

The township is planning to build a new library building in Angus over the next several years.

Access to the New Tecumseth library has been gradually reduced over the past several years, with only residents living within the cachement area of Banting Memorial High School allowed to have their memberships paid for.

The township will publicize the change in the payment of library memberships over the next month. Essa has two library branches, in Angus and Thornton.