Katikati will get its library and community hub built as one project, thanks to conditions attached to a $350,000 lotteries grant.

The grant was approved in February on the condition it was built with the library.

WBOP District Council customer and community services group manager Kevin Jefferies and First Principles Architects director Graham Price. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council originally planned to build the $2.3m library and service centre on its own – with a community hub added at a later date once funding became available.

With the grant obtained for the hub, the council and the Katikati Community Board agreed to fund the remainder of the cost through the Katikati Town Centre Fund $200,000, the Katikati Community Roading fund $150,000, the Recreation and Leisure Reserve $216,000, the $350,000 lottery grant, and the balance from a Council loan.

'When we started thinking about building a new library in Katikati, the community hub was an integral part of the overall concept, so it's fantastic that it can be included in the original build,” says council group manager customer and community services, Kevin Jefferies.

Undertaking the project as a single build rather than in two stages is more cost effective for design, consent and build costs, with no demolition and no disruption to the library, says Kevin. Indicative savings range between $100,000 and $150,000.

The 400m2 community hub will be designed as a multi-purpose community space that could, include space for bookable meeting rooms, a technology centre and exhibitions or displays.

'We'll be inviting Katikati residents to have their say on what they'd like this space to be used for, and how, in the near future,” says Kevin.

'These discussions will also include ideas for the future use of the current Katikati Library building, and give people their first look at the design concept.”

Additional funding was secured for the Katikati Library Project this month allowing the 400m2 hub to be included in the final design, scheduled for construction in mid-2016.

A multipurpose ‘community hub' for Katikati will be built simultaneously with the town's new library and service centre thanks to a $1.2million funding injection.

Kevin says the additional funding is great news for the Katikati community.

Council appointed Tauranga-based firm First Principles Architects to design the library and community hub, to be constructed on the former Dunning Block at 21 Main Street.

The design will be finalised in June and the project will go out for tender and award in July and August. Construction is expected to take about eight months.