26 | Karen Phelps New facility on the way for Feilding The core of the building, where the majority of the old library is situated, is being retained with five meeting rooms and a café in the new extension. Manawatū District Council & Alexander Construction REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The Manawatū Community Hub/Library project in Feilding will result in the district having a facility that better reflects the level of service the team provides. The initial idea for the project started back in 2014 when library service was reviewed. The decision was made to modernise and extend the library at its current location along with completing earthquake strengthening work and a new roof. Alexander Construction is the lead contractor for the Manawatū Community Hub/Library redevelopment. It has worked alongside Manawatū District Council previously, most recently to deliver the new Manawatū Resource Recovery Centre on Kawakawa Road. The project has been designed by Architecture Plus with local iwi having strong input to deliver a cultural narrative in the building. Manawatū District Council Mayor Helen Worboys says that referring to the facility now as a community hub was more reflective of what the space could be used for within the wider Manawatū community. “We have the best little library in New Zealand and the levels of service that our staff achieved given the limitations of the building has been quite outstanding. They do more than just books and resources and once the new building is in place, we want to this to be somewhere that our residents can congregate and connect with each other, hence it becoming a community hub,” says Mayor Helen. The core of the building, where the majority of the old library is situated is being retained with five meeting rooms and a café in the new extension. The overall footprint of the building will be almost double its current size with a 350sqm addition and a mezzanine floor with extra seating and breakout zones. A café will be leased and will be put out for tender before mid-2023. “It will be a place for the community to learn, create, discover and make connections,” explains Manawatū Community Services Manager Adie Johansen. “It’s about providing the people and organisations with opportunities to look after their own needs, exploring ways to manage health and emotional wellbeing, crucially important especially in this COVID-19 climate.” The redeveloped facility will allow people to swipe their library card and let themselves in to check out books or use the meeting rooms even outside normal operating hours and there will be a Makerspace area offering a variety of equipment for people to use including “It will be a place for the community to learn, create, discover and make connections.” a CNC machine, laser cutter, sewing machine and 3D printer. Adie says the meeting rooms will be equipped with the latest technology to enable video conferencing to support people working remotely. The project has not been without its challenges in the current build environment. The overall budget of the project has increased from its initial estimates in the Manawatūmeke 10 Year Plan, due in part to delays and supply chain issues caused by COVID-19. However, Adie says that council will be applying to the government’s Three Waters Better Off Fund for $3.76 million, which will offset some of the extra costs given the delays. Council has also been successful in applying to some third party funding organisations, with $150,000 from New Zealand Community Trust, $400,000 from Central Energy Trust, $200,000 from Eastern and Central Community Trust and another $400,000 from the New Zealand Lotteries Community Facilities Fund. There are also further third party funding applications in progress. The Manawatū Community Hub/Library is due to be completed by mid 2024 and Adie is excited about delivering the project to the local community. The intention is for the Manawatū Community Hub/Library to take its programmes, events etc into outlying areas, utilising different spaces such as small rural libraries as well as facilities like community halls. “With the new hub it’s not a matter of what can we do,” says Adie, “but what can’t we do?” · industrial electrical · commercial electrical · security & fire alarms · mechanical engineering · industrial electronics Manager Dean Berendt 06 350 1006 enquiries@maxtarr.co.nz | www.maxtarr.co.nz Manawatu District Council Palmerston North Palmerston North 06 357 0325 SPECIALISTS IN STRUCTURAL STEEL FABRICATION AND ERECTION THROUGH OUT THE LOWER NORTH ISLAND All enquiries P: 021 702 944 | 022 647 8161 | E: archlowengineering@xtra.co.nz
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=