Local artist's estate gifts $500K to revitalize Sherwood public library

Isha Bhargava · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 27, 2025 5:42 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

The London Public Library (LPL) has received a half-a-million dollar donation from the property of renowned section creator Rudy Sparkuhl that will assistance refurbish its Sherwood subdivision successful the city's northwest. 

The $500,000 publication volition besides spell toward the instauration of a communal gathering country for assemblage members, room officials announced connected Wednesday, calling it a "transformative gift". 

"I've ne'er seen this level of generosity from 1 individual," said LPL CEO Michael Ciccone. "We're truly arrogant to beryllium capable to enactment this ample donation toward a subdivision that truly needed enactment and is truthful important to this community." 

The branch, wrong the Sherwood Forest Mall, serves much than 36,000 patrons each twelvemonth but has been partially closed since past July aft it was importantly flooded. Construction connected a $1.5 cardinal renovation task began in January and is expected to wrapper up by the extremity of summer.

Who was Rudy Sparkuhl

Rudolph 'Rudy' Sparkuhl was a full-time creator known for his photorealistic paintings, inspired by photos he'd instrumentality of scenes similar buildings, streetcars, stairwells and others. His enactment was featured successful Ontario galleries including Wortley Village's Westland Gallery, Quebec, the U.S. and England. 

"Rudy was highly understated, humble, had a adust consciousness of humour, a twinkle successful his oculus and marched to the tune of his ain drum," said Shelley Biernbaum, who had been Sparkuhl's close person for 45 years and was his brother's beingness partner. 

"He was precise dedicated to his art. He was 1 of the fewer radical who decided they were going to beryllium a full-time creator close distant and that's each helium ever did. He was a quiescent antheral but precise talented."

Sparkuhl and his parents immigrated to Canada from Germany successful 1957, erstwhile helium was four-years-old and initially settled successful Montreal, earlier making London their imperishable location successful 1989. He died successful March, 2024 astatine property 71. 

Birenbaum said she believes Sparkuhl's appreciation for the cognition and inspiration helium recovered astatine libraries is the crushed helium donated specified a ample amount. 

"He frequented libraries a lot, helium was a large instrumentality of them and helium loved education," said Birenbaum.

"Libraries were a spot wherever helium felt truly comfortable, positive arsenic an migrant coming present with nary money, they knew that was a spot you could instrumentality retired books and it didn't outgo you anything. So I deliberation they truly appreciated the resources [libraries] bring to radical who don't person the money."

To wage homage to Sparkuhl's legacy, the Sherwood room volition show immoderate of his paintings, including 1 of the former Hudson's Bay store successful the Galleria, present known arsenic CitiPlaza, and an representation of the the mall's classical solid elevators. 

"It memorializes idiosyncratic whose creation is fantastic and truthful intriguing but besides what the room meant to Rudy to punctual him to donate this overmuch wealth to it," said Ciccone. "I anticipation [Londoners] tin look astatine those paintings and cognize however galore individuals are retired determination similar Rudy and however overmuch the room touches them and improves their life."

Mayor Josh Morgan, who precocious re-joined the library's board, said the subdivision is simply a peculiar 1 due to the fact that it serves a wide and divers community, and helium hopes Sparkhul's paintings will inspire younker to showcase their creativity portion enjoying the revamped room erstwhile it reopens. 

"This branch serves Limberlost [a nationalist lodging complex] wherever families are not that good off. The room is simply a spot for younker to access fantastic services, but present we'll get to spot a showcased section creator inspiring originative talents successful this assemblage arsenic well," helium said. 

The room didn't get all the wealth it wanted during the city's multi-year budget, and struggled astatine the time to support facilities and services. However, this donation makes up for the shortfalls successful its budget, Ciccone said.

A reopening day has not yet been announced.