If a public meeting at Ottawa City Hall Wednesday is any indication, the proposed site for a new central library needs to be put back on the shelf.

“It’s awful,” says Daniel Byrne.

Byrne was among those who packed Council Chambers to discuss the pros and cons of the new site.

In December library staff chose a 3.56 acre site at 557 Wellington Street, just west of Bronson Avenue. It was their preferred site out of 12 possibilities.

“Absolutely terrible,” adds Byrne. “Probably the worst of all the sites I could imagine. Too much traffic, not accessible by foot."

Accessibility was a big concern at the meeting. Advocates of the site point out it will be close to the new Pimisi Station of the LRT Confederation Line.

But many say it’s walking accessibility that matters. The proposed site is about 1.5 kilometres west of the current central library and is generally considered to be outside the downtown core.

One of the night’s featured panelists was Graham Saul of Ecology Ottawa. While he wasn’t arguing for or against the proposed site, he pointed out that downtown Ottawa is the only part of the city where more trips are made on foot than any other mode of transportation. “And if you limit that to just a two kilometre radius, if you say trips of two kilometres or less, over 70% of trips in the centre of the city are actually made on foot," says Saul.

Many argue that people walk to the library, from seniors to people on low incomes to downtown workers on a lunch break. They say the new central library won't be central enough.

“I remain to be convinced that the proposed location is all that accessible,” says Ann Denis. “I think from a number of points of view it isn't going to be."

In the end, the overwhelming message from attendees was to keep the central library in the downtown core.

There were no library staff members taking part in the meeting. But Somerset Councillor Catherine McKenney says she will take the results into consideration when the Library Board meets January 31st. Then the issue goes before full council February 8th.

The federal government also has a say. The proposed new flagship library is to be a partnership with Library and Archives Canada.