Councillors are going to be asked to set in motion plans for a $3million redevelopment of the Greerton Library tomorrow.

A council taskforce, that set out in May 2011 to find a possible private developer for the Greerton library site, has instead returned with two development options for council. Both involve demolishing and rebuilding the library at a cost of about $3 million.

Council is being asked to choose an option for the development of Greerton Library.

Council is being asked to choose an option for the development of Greerton Library.

Since the public private partnership option was deemed uneconomic in December, the taskforce has examined 15 other options involving sales of council land in Greerton, and the use of $1.8 million in development contributions collected for library and community facilities.

The taskforce includes councillors Terry Malloy, Larry Baldock, Bill Grainger, Tony Christiansen, plus city libraries manager Jill Best, property services manager Anthony Averill, city project analyst Clinton Bowyer and project manager Kevin Hill.

Option one entails extending the library onto the village green area, working from the existing library footprint, with 137 Greerton Rd being subdivided into two lots and then sold to fund the library (171 Chadwick Rd would also be sold to fund the library).

The existing public toilets facing Greerton Rd will be demolished and an active frontage and 2.5m wide covered walkway will be wrapped around Greerton Rd frontage leading to the main entrance facing the Village Green.

Option two extends the library to the East, from the existing footprint, onto the adjacent property (137 Greerton Rd) where Plunket is located. The balance of 137 Greerton Rd would be subdivided and sold – along with 171 Chadwick Road being sold to fund the library. The existing public toilets facing Greerton Road will be demolished, and an active frontage and 2.5m wide covered walkway is wrapped around Greerton Rd frontage leading to the main entrance facing the Village Green - in this option the Village Green remains largely unaffected.

The library issue will be discussed at 3.15pm.

Sunlive 3.1.jpg

Comment