Council drags the chain on promised Wellsford library

Wellsford residents are calling on Rodney District Council to honour its promise to build a new library.

Council short-listed three proposed sites in its Wellsford Town Development Plan – next to the Four Square in Rodney Street, adjoining the Community Centre in Mathesons Rd and in Memorial Park.

Friends of Wellsford Library secretary Lesley McLean said the group favoured Memorial Park because the library and Albertland Museum would complement each other.

“It’s handy to shops, easy for the kindergarten and early childhood centre to access, and will enhance the entrance to the town,” she said.

Opposition to the Community Centre location focused on insufficient parking, traffic congestion, and poor proximity to shops.

Council received 17 submissions to its draft LTCCP plan on the library issue, all asking that the project proceed as soon as possible.

Library volunteer Marjorie Prictor said current library conditions were totally inadequate, with no storage space and staff having to cover books in the foyer on the newspaper table. There was no running hot water and only one exit from the building.

Despite this, the library had become a centre for the community, especially since computers were installed, she said.

“We have had a 25 percent increase in library users and we now have the highest use of computers of any library in Rodney,” Mrs Prictor said.

Council officers recommended that the request to fast track the new library be declined and that it’s completion date remain 2012/13 to minimise impact on rates. Council has also deferred making a decision on the Wellsford Town Plan until more detailed information regarding costings for the two library sites can be provided.

Friends’ member James McNabb has little faith in councillors listening to the community, believing them to be more focussed currently on keeping Rodney out of the Auckland super city – and saving their jobs.

“I don’t think we’ll get much out of them,” he said. “I believe they turned out mainly to show their unity with the Mayor and to justify their existence rather than because of a concern about what Wellsford wants. In my view they are a pretty inefficient lot who would probably prefer not to spend money on our town.”

He said Cr Webster seemed mainly concerned with “losing green space” if the new building went ahead in Memorial Park.

“That’s just rubbish. The park is under-used and putting the library there is the most logical option.”

The existing library is on land donated to Council and was built as a Memorial Library in 1950 with funds raised locally.

Friends of Wellsford Library meet with Mayor Penny Webster and councillors last month to reiterate their preference for siting the proposed library in Memorial Park.
Council drags the chain on new Wellsford library