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.
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.
8 comments
omg
Posted on 21-04-2013 09:43 | By Capt_Kaveman
council leave it alone we that pay the rate cannot afford it or do i smell a golden handshake here
Sounds cheap if you say it quickly enough
Posted on 21-04-2013 11:46 | By Phailed
With huge debt, I can't believe the Council is even thinking about this. The library is quite adequate at the moment. Not perfect, but adequate. Fair enough to use money already collected ($1.8 million?) but not to sell additional land to make it look like it's costing the ratepayer nothing. Any sales of our precious land (assets) should go straight into reducing the ballooning debt. By the way, once we have sold off our assets, where do we get the money to continuing funding our spend more than we have lifestyle?
Another two options ..
Posted on 21-04-2013 14:33 | By Murray.Guy
2 years ago Council approved a 400 square meter addition (50% increase in floor space) with the entry to face Chadwick Rd. It was suggested and accepted that a public / private development might secure a better outcome with a reduced ratepayer requirement, a task force to undertake investigations. This hasn't proved viable so the previously agreed option should be reverted to, or at the very least, considered. The other option is to do nothing, to battle on as is for another couple of years, until after the Plunket lease has expired and the whole site can be reconsidered.
THOUGHT WE HAD CANNED THIS CRAP
Posted on 21-04-2013 16:53 | By POCO O POCO
Now we have Messrs Baldock Molloy Christiansen and Grainger flying the krazy kite again looking to spend funds TCC ( $millions)does not have after the private public deal turned to custard because it wouldn't work.Do they have nothing better to do with their time obviously.As for the involvement of Council staffers Best, Bowyer, Averill and Hill that is really quite unbelievable.Clearly the staff and systems audit had no effect so lets try again under new CEO>
Rusty Kane
Posted on 23-04-2013 20:10 | By Rusty Kane
Just a reminder council debt is $412.7m
@ Rusty Kane
Posted on 24-04-2013 14:28 | By YOGI
$412m ? no mate that is way off the mark, the debt was $460m last year and they have borrowed some $50m odd since and are still spending up large with all types fo plans to spend more. The Mayor has been $60-70m off the mark for the amount odd debt for years.
900 sqm?
Posted on 26-04-2013 08:32 | By YOGI
Costs $3.2m? so that is about $3600/m, that is way over the top for the building cost of a Library. Someone is going to make a fortune out of that and some but not Mainzeal.
Not all the costs?
Posted on 05-05-2013 13:55 | By YOGI BEAR
They tell me that the $3.2m bill is only to build the shell of the library, on top of that is all the books, sheleves and more at a cost of many millions more. Looks to me that Councillors are being stitched up on this one again.
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