New central library under way
Concrete foundations for Christchurch’s new central library will begin this morning.
The long-awaited library is due for completion in mid-2018.
Early ground works are well advanced on the $85 million project, on the Gloucester St site, one block east from the old site.
Project director John Rossetter has advised local business that the first concrete pour was about to begin.
‘‘These works, in the direction of the eastern end of the site, will continue through November.’’
The construction area, now with a large crane on-site, extends out into Gloucester St, restricting access to on-street car-parking.
Rossetter said that would likely continue until March next year.
A drilling rig on the site has been sinking bores, and Rossetter apologised for the noise.
He didn’t say when drilling would finish, but said ongoing work shouldn’t be any more disruptive than it had been so far.
The old library, damaged in the earthquakes, was originally set to be repaired but the new build was later announced as a central city anchor project.
Five storeys high with 9850 square metres floor space, the new library will be more than a third bigger than the old one, but smaller than Auckland and Wellington’s central libraries.
It has been designed to light up Cathedral Square at night, and the ground floor will be an extension of the public space, with a cafe and retail area.
As part of the Christchurch rebuild cost-sharing agreement, the Government provided the site for the library, and Christchurch City Council agreed to front up with $60m.
That number was later raised to $75m, and the council and Government aimed to raise the remaining $10m through philanthropic donations.
Earlier this year the Government pulled the pin on raising philanthropic donations for the project.
Council staff were shocked at the change in plan, but Mayor Lianne Dalziel said at the time that the project was not reliant on the donations, and would go ahead.
‘‘To have an expectation that the Government can raise philanthropic funds for projects they or the council are delivering was an unrealistic expectation, so it should not have been included in the [cost-sharing] agreement, so we are treating it as if it wasn’t in the agreement.’’
She said the council planned to work with ‘‘potential corporate and community partners’’ instead.