Southern libraries 'too small'

Efforts have been made by the Council to find ways to improve St Martins Library and Spreydon Library and the matter is now with a working party. In the coming months the working party will produce a strategy for suburban libraries in southern Christchurch.

Efforts to buy land for a new St Martins Library in Wilsons Road fell through last year. Spreydon-Heathcote Community Board consulted its residents over the Spreydon Library in Barrington Street.

It called for submissions after a public meeting and received 150 reponses, 62 of which favoured a new purpose-built library behind the present building.

However, 55 wanted the library placed in Barrington Mall.

Suggestions that the present Spreydon Library be enlarged began in 1993 but plans were not advanced until 1996.

Since then many options have been considered.

Council staff narrowed the options down to the four "most practical for achieving library service delivery objectives".

These are:

• A single-storey addition at the rear of the library.
• Demolition of the library and replacing it with a new single- storey library at the rear of the present site.
• Demolition of the library and building a two-storey building in the same position.
• Moving into the mall.

A factor in arguments about Spreydon Library is the historic trees behind the library which were donated in 1924.