The Winnipeg Millennium Library has reopened its fourth floor with metal fencing after being closed for two weeks, following a tragic incident in early August.
On Aug. 6, a 40-year-old man jumped from the fourth-floor railing and lost his life. Soon after, another visitor threatened suicide but was stopped by security. The library has since installed barriers, stationed security on the floor and is considering longer-term safety redesigns.
Pam McKenzie, communications officer for the City of Winnipeg, said, “The recently installed temporary measure will remain in place while we continue to develop permanent, long-term solutions.” McKenzie added, “counselling services are offered to affected staff whenever a critical incident occurs in the workplace.”
The Millennium Library is a popular place to study downtown, but it is also a space of ongoing safety concerns. The decision to reopen with fencing is part of an effort to balance accessibility with security. The last time an incident like this occurred was in 2017, but the August tragedy has renewed a focus on the library’s fourth floor redesign.
Kimberly Nicolasora, who works in marketing and communications, studies for her LSAT (law school admission test) at the library on weekends. She said the Millennium Library is not her first choice.
“I mostly come here for convenience,” said Nicolasora. “But it’s not my first choice because of the safety. You do hear about some stabbings, and even coming in you need to go through security and get them to check [your] bags.”
For U of M student Maryam Bakhtiary, however, the tragedy has not changed their perception. Bakhtiary comes to the Millennium Library because it offers a quiet place to study.
“I heard that news, it was so bad,” said Bakhtiary. “I think it’s not a huge problem [with the library] […] When you come in here, you’re just focusing, not focusing on […] what happened.”
Bakhtiary, who studies political science and hopes to become a lawyer, added that the library’s resources help her with her coursework. She acknowledged the sadness of the incident, but her focus remains on school.
Muhammad Hassan, a product designer and software engineer, uses the library daily for its design resources, including 3D printers. He said he noticed when the fourth floor was suddenly closed off after the incident.
He learned later of the tragedy and said it made him reflect on safety at the Millenium Library. “I felt it’s unsafe,” Hassan said, adding that security checks and bag searches reshaped his experience at the library.
Among the Millennium Library’s regular visitors is Hannes Klinger, who is in Canada from Germany. He arrived in January to travel across the country, and recently headed west toward the Rockies before his car broke down. Now staying with a friend in downtown Winnipeg, he comes to the Millennium Library nearly every day to plan his next steps.
Klinger said he has had nice encounters with the staff, further noting that the library’s internet and quiet spaces are essential for his travel planning. He added that the Millennium Library is one of the few comfortable public places in downtown to focus. Klinger said all he needs is a comfortable space and the internet.
Despite different levels of concern among visitors, Nicolasora understands why changes were made but hopes the library can evolve further.
“I don’t think the fencing is really impactful in terms of studying, but I do understand,” said Nicolasora.
What she would like, however, is more flexibility in hours. “As much as I wouldn’t want to stay too late downtown […] I actually wouldn’t mind if it was open later, or if there was some type of security coming around later in the night,” said Nicolasora.
For Hassan, the fencing raises questions about whether structural changes are enough to address deeper safety issues.
“I’ve been looking at it and I’ve been trying to figure out, ‘Oh, why do we have this? Is it going to help people [stay safe]? Is it going to protect people?’” said Hassan.
The Millennium Library is both a practical resource and a contentious public space. For students like Bhaktiary, its quiet study areas outweigh its risks. For regulars like Hassan, safety is an ongoing concern. And for international visitors like Klinger, it is simply a necessary and welcoming stop along a Canadian journey.
The Millennium Library’s appeal remains tied to its central location and shared spaces, even if safety worries never fully disappear.
“I do like coming here just because it is nice,” said Nicolasora before adding with honesty, “but I wouldn’t come to the fourth floor to study if this [metal fencing] is my view.”
