July 21, 2026

The Guelph Central Library is featured in The Globe and Mail in an article by David McPherson. 

"Inside the library anchoring an Ontario community redevelopment" explores the role of the new library as more than a place for books. It is conceived as an inclusive community destination that supports learning, gathering, and cultural exchange while contributing to the renewal of a significant site in downtown Guelph. 

Diamond Schmitt Principal Duncan Bates has called Guelph home for more than two decades and led the project team.

“I understand the history of the site, the history of the Baker District redevelopment and the needs of the community,” says Duncan. “The changes that are highly visible throughout the downtown core really resonate with me.”

Duncan drafted his first sketches of the new Guelph Central Library eight years ago. Approaching the library’s design one floor at a time, he made sure to interweave the heritage fabric of downtown Guelph into the building’s exterior through long-format Roman brick. 

The layout of the building has been carefully curated to maximize patrons’ experience, with the ground floor designed as a hub that encourages exploration and is home to the children’s library collection and community meeting room. 

“It is wide open and highly engaged,” he says. “It’s loud, it’s unencumbered and it is highly visible.”

Envisioned as the civic anchor, the new library demonstrates how investment in public architecture can help catalyze broader urban transformation, creating a welcoming and accessible setting that strengthens connections between people and place.

Read the full article in The Globe and Mail.