The City of Airdrie has seen significant growth in the last year, according to the latest census, making it one of the fastest growing cities in Alberta.
We’ve climbed to over 80,000 in population and are on target to reach 110,000 by 2032.
Of course, there are many things that make Airdrie such a welcoming community for new residents.
Quick access to nearby mountains, Calgary amenities, safe and friendly neighbourhoods, and a vibrant arts and culture community are just a few.
We here at Airdrie Public Library (APL), experience this growth in terms of how many people come through our doors, get a library card, and access programming.
For instance, in August of 2022 we had 25,138 cardholders and now a year later we have 27,135.
That’s a growth of 2,000 cardholders, which often represent families.
It’s obvious then, that our little facility is way too small for the demand for our services and programs, and thankfully that’s being addressed by the city with the construction of the new multi-use and library facility.
It’s true, right now it’s just a remarkably large hole, but one can almost imagine what it’ll look like.
In the meantime, we press on, working in creative ways to meet the literacy and educational needs of our growing population.
This Saturday, from 2-4 p.m., APL is hosting our annual Newcomers Fair in partnership with Welcoming Airdrie.
This event is for those newcomers who may be new to Canada, Alberta, or just needed to move out of the Big City to the South of us.
Come to the library and meet different organizations, groups, and services that work with newcomers of all kinds.
Each organization will have a table in the library and will be available to talk and answer your questions. For more information on this program and others, visit www.airdriepubliclibrary.ca
