Library Extension And Council Chambers Refurbishment Starting Soon
The Waimate District Library extension will begin later this month and the Council Chambers refurbishment will begin early next month.
The project is currently scheduled to be completed in November this year and is being led by Rushton Architects and Hayden Tait Building Limited.
To accommodate the construction, the library will close on Tuesday 13 February and a pop-up library will operate from the Waimate Event Centre, 15 Paul Street.
The pop-up library will open on Tuesday 20 February and function as a scaled-down version of the library. The opening hours will remain the same.
Members are encouraged to stock up on books before the project begins.
During the extension, the library will offer longer standard loan periods of six weeks, with the option of extending.
Some books will be in long-term storage and unavailable, although there will still be a wide selection for loan.
Mayor Craig Rowley said it was important that the districts’ residents had continued access to a library, as it formed an important part of the social and cultural fabric of Waimate.
Mayor Craig said it was a good reminder of the online services the library has available free of charge.
These include digital publications on PressReader, E-books, streaming service Beamafilm, and a home delivery service is available for people unable to physically access the library.
Council acknowledges there will be some disruption to library users and appreciates their patience and understanding.
Extending the library will allow larger groups to be accommodated and provide dedicated learning areas.
Council meetings will be held in the Waimate Event Centre when the chambers are unable to be used.
The Council Chambers refurbishment will address the poor lighting and airflow, create a multi-functional space, and future-proof the area to meet the changing technology demands of local authorities, including the ability to live-stream Council meetings.
The total project budget is $1.925 million, up to $900,000 of which is coming from the Government’s Better Off Funding package.
