Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library will open later this month. Photo / Supplied
Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library will open later this month. Photo / Supplied
The countdown is on to the opening of the new Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library on July 21, as the books are in, skaters are poised and coffee is brewing.
Yes, that’s right, two of the library’s new features will be an on-site cafe and an outdoor skatepark.
The library has been co-designed with the local community and construction is all but complete with the internal fit-out, including shelves, counters, carpet and furniture, now well underway.
Rototuna Village programme manager Natasha Hansen says the library is a much-anticipated space for the people of Rototuna.
“While construction started in early 2022, for the community this journey has been much, much longer than that. We’re delivering a space to meet the different needs of so many people who live there, and I can’t wait to see it come to life,” Hansen says.
As well as traditional library offerings such as books, free Wi-Fi, computers, printing and scanning services, the space has small meeting rooms for group work and larger meeting rooms that can be booked for community events.
Construction of Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library is all but complete with the internal fit-out, including shelves, counters, carpet and furniture, now well underway. Photo / Supplied
There are kids and young adults zones, a community lounge, and people will be able to borrow books via a self-checkout and return items 24/7. A play space designed for junior to intermediate use is set to open in October.
Library users will also be able to access a range of council services like rate payments and dog registrations.
Hansen says she is especially excited about the on-site cafe, which will be operated by local couple Alex He and Tongtong Liu. The pair have extensive hospitality and barista experience and are looking to introduce some unique drinks that will be a first for Hamilton.
While the library, some public outdoor areas and the skate space will be open, construction will continue on other parts of Rototuna, such as upgrades to North City Rd and final touches on some of the library’s other outdoor spaces, for the next few months.
“An unseasonably wet summer this year has really slowed us down in some of our outdoor spaces. So, expect to see our teams beavering away behind the construction fence until late October.”
The library is the latest part of the Rototuna Village development and has been in the pipeline since 2018. It is named after one of the three baskets of knowledge and has been chosen by local mana whenua.
The library’s opening later this month will be marked with a weekend of community activities. Check out what’s planned online.
