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to George Weller
This is now the Canadian entrance to the world famous Haskell
Library and Opera House built on the border between Canada and the
USA to symbolize our joint community of Derby Line/Stanstead,
Quebec. It needed to be built as required by US Homeland Security
for Canadians to enter the building legally. People from the
Canadian side used to be able to enter by walking around along the
US side to enter through the US main entry door. Isn't it a shame
the "usedtobe" two most friendly countries in the world can't find
a better way to get along like they did before 911 and especially
before the 1950. Why has this Border continually become more
restrictive? Why has Europe done so much better for it's citizens
and its economy by establishing the Schengen Area 30 years ago
with 5 countries and now has 29 countries? Surely we could find
some way to get together and harmonize our basic laws.
Haskell
Free Library’s new Canadian entrance opens ahead of June 10
inauguration
News
Apr
24, 2026
The newly
opened Canadian entrance to the Haskell Free
Library and Opera House in Stanstead, as seen in
photos provided by the library. The renovation,
which climbed to nearly $700,000 in total cost,
was carried out under the design oversight of
Heritage Quebec. A formal inauguration is
scheduled for June 10. (Photos: Haskell Free
Library and Opera House)
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The Haskell Free Library and Opera House in Stanstead
has opened its long-awaited new Canadian entrance,
marking a major milestone in a renovation project
nearly two years in the making — though the finishing
touches won’t be complete until a grand inauguration
ceremony on June 10.
Ribbon-cutting
set for June 10
The entrance became accessible to patrons on April
22, according to a library Facebook post, ending a
prolonged period during which visitors had to navigate
a cumbersome alternate route through the historic
building. A formal ribbon-cutting is now scheduled for
11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, with politicians from
Canada, Quebec, and Vermont expected to attend.
“We are doing the inauguration, the 10th of June at
11,” said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the library’s
board of trustees, in an April 24 interview. “There’s
going to be the ribbon-cutting and everything. There’s
going to be politicians from Canada, Quebec, and
Vermont that are invited.”
Finishing touches
and fundraising
While the door is now open, several elements remain
outstanding. An interior door is not expected to be
installed until mid-May, followed by a retaining wall,
parking lot work, and finally landscaping — the latter
of which is being donated free of charge by a
Hemingford-area company. Boudreau says the full
project cost has climbed to nearly $700,000, against a
fundraising target of $350,000. Donations are still
being accepted.
Delays, flooding,
and the cost of winter construction
The road to completion was not without
significant setbacks. Boudreau described a string of
weather-related delays and costly complications that
came with working under the oversight of Ministère
de la Culture et des Communications du Québec
(MCCQ), the province’s heritage authority.
“Everything we are doing needs to be approved by
Heritage Quebec,” she explained. “All the designs, all
the materials, it was all decided by them. The only
thing we did, really, it was to pay.”
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Among the costliest complications was the need to
perform much of the work during winter months. When
granite was installed on the building’s exterior, the
interior had to be kept heated — and at one point, the
temporary heating proved insufficient. “The pipe
burst,” Boudreau recounted. “A little bit of
flooding.” Major insulation work required the
demolition and rebuilding of exterior walls under
heated conditions, adding substantially to the overall
bill.
A more modern
look than some would have liked
On the question of aesthetics, Boudreau was candid.
Having a background in the antique world, she had
envisioned a restoration closer to the building’s
original character, but those ideas were repeatedly
turned down by heritage authorities. “It’s a little
bit more modern than I would like,” she acknowledged.
“Supposedly it has to reflect the year we are doing
the renovation.”
End of an awkward
detour for patrons
The relief for staff and patrons alike will be
considerable. During the renovation, anyone wishing to
access the library from the Canadian side had to enter
through the opera house tower, descend multiple
flights of stairs, pass through employee office space,
and only then reach the library. “That was awful,”
Boudreau said plainly. Those with mobility challenges
were technically directed to the American entrance,
though in practice many simply avoided the
inconvenience altogether.
Landmark years
for the Haskell
The Haskell, which has stood for over a century as a
cross-border institution shared between Stanstead,
Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont, has seen no shortage
of attention in recent months. In January of last
year, a visit by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary
Kristi Noem drew sharp criticism after she stepped
onto the Canadian side of the library and referred to
Canada as “the 51st state,” prompting a petition from
residents on both sides of the border calling for an
apology.
‘A feel-good
accomplishment’
With the entrance now open and the inauguration
approaching, Boudreau is looking ahead with optimism —
and a measure of exhaustion.
“After that, we’re going to be able to breathe,” she
said. “Hopefully nothing else will happen.”
Everyone is welcome at the June 10 celebration, which
Boudreau described as a community moment. “I want this
to be festive,” she said. “It’s a feel-good
accomplishment.”
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--
George K. Weller
Weller Farm
Weller Airport: ctq2
web page: http://ctq2.org
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