Plans for new library taking shape

Greerton library will be demolished in February and its contents removed to temporary premises.

Greerton book lovers will have to put up with a very basic service for at least seven months while their new library is built.

Tauranga libraries manager Jill Best said they were looking to lease empty commercial premises in the Greerton Shopping Centre for the duration of the rebuild which was due to start in March. "We will be offering a very basic service but it will be better than nothing."

The shift into temporary premises was expected to happen in February once demolition started of the 40-year-old library.

Ms Best said the actual timetable will be decided by the successful tenderer for the design and build contract.

The council this week issued a list of the new library's requirements to the three shortlisted contractors.

"We are hoping to be in by next Christmas."

If the council failed to find suitable alternative premises, the fall-back position was the Greerton Hall's supper room.

The new library will be double the size of the old library and open up onto the Greerton Village Green. It will include a computer-based learning area with 10 workstations while the main interior of the library will have six computer workstations.

Ms Best said the new library will also feature a meeting room with an exterior door so it was also accessible for community use after hours.

The design brief signed off by the council included amenities for eight staff, public toilets and a flexible simple interior layout.

The "environmentally sustainable" design will feature a high percentage of windows for natural lighting and to maximise viewing of the interior from outside the building.

The new library will open seven days a week from 9.30am to 6pm.

Greerton's Planned New Library

Cost: $3.45 million
Size: 900 sq m
Ratepayers' contribution: Nil