Nod for library

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 28

Nod for library

■ id p ii j The istand-alone Linwodd jlibraiy, still alive—by oneHvote. A| bid'to scuttle the oftdeferred $llO9 million new brdnch library! at the Christchurch City Council meeting last night lost by one] vote. ■ | |Cr John Burn argued at this week’s Christchurch City Cobncil meeting that i the cost! of the project was simply not justified in a year of belt-tighteriing. . ; Cr Clive Cotton said the t pec>ple iof Linwood would wait no longer. Their library | had already been delayed several times. . | The council owned the Rusself Street site near the Linwood! City mall. The project | had to be started' or the momentum would again| be lost. Cr Btirn calculated that the ■ library 9 to be financed j from! loan and rates, wouldHadd ari extra 1.26 per ceritf to thfe total

11 !' 9 - ; Christchurch City rate. That was not fair to the rest of the city ratepayers for a branch facility, he said.; He called the approval of the building of the librapr “irresponsible.” !' The council opted to go ahead with the project, raising the money needed for the building by lopn and! allocating rates money for stock oyer thje next; two {financial years i It I will seek $lOO, {from the (Local Authorities ,Community Facilities 'Fund for the project, j “Don’t! expect to get it ” said; Sir Hamish Hay. i The provision of a com.munity centre at the site L-originally the and! the! centre were Ito have been built {together—will be investigated. The future of the present | Linwood library will' also be investigated.