The Town of Bracebridge is looking for a contractor to begin interior work at the historic Carnegie Library building on Manitoba Street, the first step in turning the empty space into a new hub for local business services by 2027. The town issued a request for tenders on July 2, with a closing date of July 23 at 2 p.m.
The former library at 94 Manitoba St. has sat vacant since 2024 when the library moved to the new Coulson Family Bracebridge Library inside the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre on Salmon Avenue. Now, the town plans to transform the heritage building, originally constructed in 1906, into the Bracebridge Business Development Centre.
Once renovations are complete, the centre will bring several organizations under one roof, including the Town’s Planning and Development Department, the Muskoka Small Business Centre, the Downtown Bracebridge BIA, the Bracebridge Chamber of Commerce, and the Visitor Information Centre. It will also have storage space for the Woodchester Collection.
The town has set aside more than $2.6 million for the project, with $1.845 million allocated in 2026 and $762,000 in 2027. Another $100,000 will be spent in 2027 to add parking on a town-owned lot at 89 Kimberley Avenue. The design work is being handled by Mitchell Jensen Architects, which was hired with a budget of up to $178,500. Jean Audette of Mitchell Jensen Architects is the contact for the tender at [email protected].
Tender documents are available online at Biddingo.com, and bids must be submitted to the Public Works Department at the Town of Bracebridge Municipal Office at 1000 Taylor Court.
