▁were ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁to ▁design ▁the ▁new ▁library . ▁The ▁Province ▁ch ipped ▁in ▁$ 9 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁towards ▁the ▁cost . ▁A ▁sod ▁turning ▁ceremony , ▁comm encing ▁construction ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁with ▁actual ▁construction ▁beginning ▁in ▁March . ▁The ▁new ▁library ▁would ▁have ▁room ▁for ▁ 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁books ▁within ▁its ▁ 3 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁sq . ▁ft . ▁The ▁construction ▁tender ▁was ▁awarded ▁to ▁Po ole ▁Const ruction ▁Ltd . ▁( now ▁P CL ). ▁The ▁original ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁was ▁estimated ▁at ▁$ 8 , 4 7 8 , 4 6 2 , ▁though ▁that ▁figure ▁had ▁ris en ▁to ▁$ 9 ▁million ▁afterwards . ▁A ▁construction ▁strike ▁and ▁winter ▁work ▁conditions ▁caused ▁the ▁project ▁to ▁be ▁completed ▁four ▁months ▁later ▁than ▁originally ▁calculated . ▁ ▁The ▁under ground ▁par ka de , ▁for ▁ 5 5 0 ▁vehicles , ▁opened ▁early ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁Central ▁branch ▁( 3 8 0 ▁William ▁A ve .) ▁closed ▁February ▁ 2 1 ▁and ▁the ▁Dow nt own ▁branch ▁( 4 0 8 ▁Port age ▁A ve .) ▁closed ▁February ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁so ▁that ▁materials ▁could ▁be ▁moved ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁Cent enn ial ▁Library . ▁ ▁The ▁Library ▁was ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 6