Scarborough’s Albert Campbell library gets revamp featuring Indigenous garden

After more than two years of renovations, including pandemic-related delays, the Albert Campbell library branch in Scarborough reopened to the public this week.

Along with a complete internal and external revamp to allow for more light and better use of space, the branch now offers laptop bars, study rooms, a green roof and reading terrace, among many other state-of-the art features.

One of the key components of the overhaul is the creation of a green space at the front entrance that features native plants significant to Indigenous cultures and a medicine garden.

Toronto Public Library (TPL) engaged Indigenous-led firm Miinikan Innovation and Design to create the garden that is home to 1,500 plants from 30 different species.

“There’s medicines that can be used, there’s edible foods like strawberries,” explains coordinator of operations for the firm, Tatiana Stewart. “There’s sage, tobacco, sweetgrass, cedar and then there’s lots of native perennial flowers that will bloom more in their second, third, fourth year, which will provide a lot of colour and pollinators will come and enjoy the gardens as well,”

Stewart says the garden provides a valuable learning opportunity for the community.

“We’re teaching folks about native plants and pollinators and medicines that First Nations people use,” she says.

Toronto Public Library capital projects manager Susan Martin admits that they did not specifically engage with the Indigenous community during the early design phases of the renovation. The idea to do so came through consultations with the public that suggested including Indigenous input.

“Because we had a new garden space that was at the front of the branch [it was suggested] that it would be a really wonderful opportunity to talk with the Indigenous community about what they would like to see in the garden and the programming spaces,” she says. “And we were really lucky with the generosity of the Indigenous community giving their time and their thoughts to our project.”

Martin adds that TPL has a responsibility to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.

“Indigenous place making and Indigenous place keeping is important for us as part of the reconciliation process — so both learning how to do proper consultation with the community and being able to respond and deliver on what we’ve committed to doing,” she says.

To further that intention, TPL saw another opportunity to highlight Indigenous culture with a mural on what would have otherwise remained a blank wall bordering the north side of the garden.

Red Urban Nation Artist Collective was commissioned to create the mural that is still underway and features important Indigenous symbols.

“I have the turtle there that represents Turtle Island which we’re on right now … and that represents the community around here,” says Ren Lonechild, one of three artists working on the mural. “You have the medicine wheel in the middle … basically all of our teachings are in that wheel and that represents this library.”

A portion of the mural at Albert Campbell library in Scarborough shows a medicine wheel – an important Indigenous symbol. CITYNEWS/Dilshad Burman.

Lonechild says the mural is also another jumping off point to engage and educate people about Indigenous culture.

“The more Indigenous work we have on the walls the more people can learn and the more people can understand us,” he says. “For instance I wanted to make sure the medicine wheel is there and really big, so people can ask questions about it and then they’ll research it and once they research it they’ll start learning about our people – the first people who were here.”

The building also includes a smudge room where the sacred Indigenous ritual can be performed.

Other improvements and additions to the facilities include a digital innovation hub that offers recording studios for videos and podcasts, 3D printers and various other technologies and training. Lounging and reading areas have been added throughout the three floors of the library as well as a large basement auditorium for events and other programming.

The kids area has been overhauled to include tactile learning tools and toys that Martin says are endlessly engaging for children and adults alike.

“We got to the kids spot and we just stopped because it’s incredible, you can spend days in here,” says one excited visitor. “I am thrilled with [the revamp] and we haven’t even gotten to the stuff I’m supposed to be interested in!”

Another visitor brought her three children along to see the new space and says she’s impressed with the modernization.

“I think I heard robotics is going to be available, recording facilities — so it will be nice to have something new in the community for the kids to explore,” she says.

The renovation cost $21.5 million and both library staff and visitors alike agree that it was long overdue.

“I think it helps to bring revitalization into the community,” says a visitor. “It’ll be nice for those of us who’ve been here for a while and then also people who are looking for a new home in the city, this will definitely attract more people to the area”