Waiheke speaks up on library and service centre options

Auckland City Council has received nearly 250 submissions on the future development of the Waiheke library and service centre, with opinion evenly divided on library locations.

The Community Development and Equity Committee today received a report giving a preliminary analysis of the submissions.

This follows the month-long consultation period in which people were asked to provide feedback on three potential options for the library and service centre. The options were:

building a new library in Oneroa and a new service centre in Ostend
building a new combined library and service centre in Oneroa
building a new combined library and service centre in Ostend.
The initial analysis shows that feedback was split on whether the library should be located in Oneroa or Ostend. However, there was strong support for the service centre to remain in Ostend.

The chairperson of the Community Development and Equity Committee, Councillor Cathy Casey, says the submissions give the committee a lot to think about.

"We're tasked with making an important decision about the future location of two key community assets.

"There is clearly strong and divided feeling in the community about the library location and we'll have to weigh that up carefully, along with other factors such as cost, urban design issues, governance matters and potential disruption to services," Dr Casey says.

The submissions show that while many people saw benefits in having the library and service centre located together, many others felt they were very separate entities.

Comments in favour of keeping the library in Oneroa included its proximity to Artworks in order to create a strong cultural hub on the island and the fact there is already an established village in Oneroa.

Comments in favour of moving the library to Ostend included the fact it was closer to a greater concentration of people, schools, retirement villages and a planned supermarket as well as having ample parking and fewer congestion issues.

A copy of all of the submissions received (with names and personal details removed) will be available for viewing at the library and service centre.

The council is also continuing to operate a blog (online discussion forum) to give people the opportunity to make comments about the proposals.

Visit the website to access the blog.

Meanwhile, the council has also received around 65 submissions on the guiding principles to drive the development of a strategic plan for Artworks.

A report giving further detailed analysis of all options will be submitted to the Community Development and Equity Committee in September, which will then make a decision about the preferred location.