Tuesday 5 March 2013

Positive news for Heathcote Volunteer Library

The Christchurch City Council Community, Recreation and Culture Committee today resolved to recommend that Council request a halt to demolition – and to support in principle the repair or rebuild – of the Heathcote Volunteer Library building.

The Heathcote Volunteer Library in Martindales Road was seriously damaged in the 22 February 2011 earthquake and has been closed since then.

In February this year the Council announced it would comply with a CERA Section 38 Notice of Demolition for the closed voluntary library building because it was considered to be unsafe.

At today’s Committee meeting, deputations were received from the Heathcote Valley Community Library Committee and the Heathcote Valley Community Association, who expressed concern that options for repairing or rebuilding the facility had been overlooked.

Committee Chair Yani Johanson said, “We all agree in principle that, if we can find a workable solution, the Heathcote Volunteer Library should be repaired or rebuilt.

“We recommend that Council staff report back on repair or rebuild options and work with the community to get a positive outcome in retaining this valuable local asset. Working together with local people and the Library Committee, I am confident that Council will find a way to make this happen and help restore some of the quality of life to a community that has been affected by the absence of such a facility. Volunteer libraries play a hugely important role in the wellbeing of local neighbourhoods and I look forward to a positive outcome."

The Committee will recommend that the Council work with the Heathcote Valley Community Library Committee and the Heathcote Valley Community Association to close any funding gap between the repair or rebuild cost and the available insurance proceeds.

“The insurance proceeds will be ring-fenced for this particular facility and the Council is not being asked to commit any extra funding at this stage,” Councillor Johanson said.

The Committee expects costing for the repair or rebuild options to be presented to the Council no later than 24 April 2013.

To see all the reports received by the Committee at today’s meeting, please visit www.ccc.govt.nz

– Ends –

© Scoop Media