Waiheke will have stand-alone library at Oneroa

A Waiheke Local Board preference for a stand-alone library at Oneroa has convinced Auckland Council’s strategy and finance committee to allocate $5.1 million to allow the project to begin.

Board Chair Faye Storer says she’s “ecstatic” about the decision, which resolves a longstanding issue about whether the library should stand-alone or be combined with a new service centre in Oneroa.

“This decision will be welcomed by all of us on Waiheke – it’s exactly what we hoped for,” she says. “We are delighted the new Auckland Council has moved fast to resolve this matter, which hit a stalemate when the former city council would only fund a combined service centre and library.”

The council’s strategy and finance committee chair Penny Webster says she’s pleased the committee was able to sort the issue out so quickly. “We recognise that libraries are very important to their communities and we are glad to have been able to help the local board achieve the outcome islanders want.”

Board member Don McKenzie described the committee decision as “auspicious”, adding that the library would become a prized possession of which the whole island would be proud.

A balance of $950,000 earmarked for the combined library and service centre project will be carried over toward a new or refurbished service centre at Ostend, which will require additional funding.

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Early indications are that a new service centre on council-owned land at Belgium Street will be more cost effective than refurbishment, and will best meet the council’s future accommodation needs on the island.

Both options, including the question of future local board accommodation, will be further explored with the local board and reported back to the council’s regional development and operations committee before the end of this year.