Tansley Woods Turns 30
This September marks a milestone birthday for Tansley Woods Branch! To celebrate, we’re sharing a little of the story behind this much-loved community space.
As northeast Burlington grew rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s, so did the need for library services. A mid-1990s survey found that 80 percent of North Burlington respondents used the library, but only one full-service branch existed north of the QEW.
On October 24, 1994, Burlington City Council approved plans to build a new library and community centre in north Burlington.
The Community Comes Together
Community members and local businesses rallied behind the new centre.
A fundraising campaign included a special opportunity called Bricks for ’96. For a $96 donation, residents could have their name—or the name of someone they wished to honour—engraved on a commemorative paving brick for the walkway leading to the main entrance. And, of course, only 1,996 bricks were available!
The bricks may be gone, but they remain part of the story of the community support that helped bring Tansley Woods to life.
Opening Day: September 14, 1996
A large and enthusiastic crowd gathered on September 14, 1996, for the official opening of Tansley Woods: A Centre for Learning & Leisure. It was BPL’s first new branch in 28 years.
Built at a cost of $2.53 million, the library received an Ontario Hydro award for its energy-efficient design. Large windows overlooking the creek ravine and surrounding woods brought the natural setting into the new space—a feature visitors still enjoy today.
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Official Opening of Tansley Woods: A Centre for Learning & Leisure, 1996. Burlington Digital Archive
Tansley Woods in 1996
When the doors opened, the new branch offered:
- A collection of 30,000 items
- Eight public-access computers with Internet access
- Books on tape, videocassettes, compact discs, and CD-ROMs alongside books and magazines
- A program room with a moveable wall allowing flexible use of space
- Capacity to welcome an estimated 350,000 to 400,000 visits each year
And those eight computers were quite cutting-edge: promotional material proudly noted their ability to present information “graphically as well as in text format.” How times have changed!
Looking into the branch from the main entrance, circa 2008. Burlington Public Library
The Names Around Tansley Woods
Ever wondered where the name Tansley came from?
In the 1800s, a village called St. Anne stood near Dundas Street and Appleby Line. Mail was sometimes sent to another St. Anne in Niagara, so residents began using the name of local postmaster Joseph Tansley in their postal address.
Tansley served as postmaster for only one year, in 1884, but his name stuck. The area continued to be known as Tansley until the village became part of Burlington.
Nearby Itabashi Way has an international connection. It is named for Burlington’s twin city of Itabashi, Japan. The Itabashi Garden and Itabashi Bridge near the branch share the name.
Mayor Teruo Ishizuka and Mayor Walter Mulkewich at the opening of the Itabashi Bridge and Itabashi Way, 1997. Burlington Digital Archive
Thirty Years and Counting!
Thirty years after opening its doors, Tansley Woods Branch continues to be a place to read, learn, gather, and spend time in the community.
Today, the branch has more than 44,000 items in its collection. And in just the first six months of 2026, customers made more than 101,000 visits, borrowed over 154,000 items, and attended programs more than 8,100 times.
Drop by this September to borrow a book, attend a program, or simply enjoy the space.
Happy 30th birthday, Tansley Woods! And to everyone who has visited, borrowed, attended a program, or simply spent time with us over the years—thank you for being part of our story.
View more photographs of Tansley Woods Branch and other moments from our history in the Burlington Digital Archive.
