After two failed attempts to gain federal and provincial funding for a $15 million library-art gallery project the Town of Smithers, along with the Smithers Library Board and Smithers Art Gallery are shelving their plans for the new project.

Due to the high cost of constructing the building and lack of grant funds from provincial and federal sources the project is on hold while other avenues are investigated, according to the project organizing committee.

Vice-Chair of the Smithers Library Board, Wally Bergen said although the committee is still committed to see the project through, other sources of funding need to be determined before the project can move forward.

“I think two things have slowed us down, the first is COVID came along, the second thing was the assistance we applied for from the federal and provincial grants were not successful,” Bergen said.

“Now we are looking at various options that will lead us to success as far as identifying a project that both federal and provincial can buy into and help support.”

Two of those options involve some kind of housing aspect included in the design of the project. Currently the project exists exclusively as a library-art gallery, however, there have been preliminary discussion on how to add housing to the mix to make the project more attractive to grant funding.

The second option would include and daycare space that would provide much needed support for local childcare needs, which has been a major issue in Smithers over the past two years prompting more that 40 parents to sign a letter to legislators urging them to create more childcare spaces in the community.

Although nearly $2 million has already been raised through community funding initiatives, that money will be held until further fundraising plans can be made.

Still at this point no definitive plans have been made to move the project forward.