Civic centre and library
Sir, —It is a well-estab-lished fact that the most effective location for a public library is in the main stream of pedestrian traffic, in a major shopping area. It is therefore a pity that no City Council has attempted to obtain suitable premises in the current rebuilding proin the Square. However, although the library’s present location is not ideal, it is arguably nearer that main stream of pedestrians than the Civic Theatre site and is a far more attractive locality than the dreary Manchester Street backwater. We doubt whether the assertion in your editorial last Saturday that professional library opinion favoured the Manchester Street site would be upheld by a survey of Christchurch librarians.—Yours, 1 JOHN MARTIN, SHEILA MARTIN. March 31, 1972. Sir,— Following my letter commending the council’s cautious approach to the civic centre plans, 1 1 wish to express my unreserved support to the proposal to build the new library on the present site, which I consider is vastly to be preferred to the Manchester Street position. The extra distance of the former from the Square is so slight as to be a negligible consideration. A postal centre for sorting, distribution, etc., in Cambridge Terrace would do much to destroy the relative peace of the area. For the same reason there is a strong argument against having a “rip-roaring one-way street,” to quote “Stalemate’s" apt phrase, in that vicinity. Hence there seems good reason to take a closer look at the transport plans with a view to preserving an attractive and traditionally quieter part of the city from increased bustle and further commercial infiltration. —Yours, etc., GADFLY. March 30, 1972.
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Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32880, 1 April 1972, Page 16
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276Civic centre and library Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32880, 1 April 1972, Page 16
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