Shellharbour councillors have approved plans for the new Warilla library, despite concerns about flooding, accessibility and growing costs.
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At Tuesday’s meeting, they also voted to approve an extension of the lease for the existing library building , at $155,000 a year until 2020.
Independent councillor Peter Moran spoke critically of both decisions, saying the past actions of his colleagues had given the city no choice but to fork over more and more money to lease their existing, and previously council-owned, building.
He noted the council had sold the current Warilla library site in 2014, and said – by the time the new lease ends, either in 2019 or 2020, the city will have paid back almost $930,000 to the superannuation fund which bought the building.
The library site and former council chambers on Lake Entrance Road were sold for $4.05million, with $2 million of that set aside to build the new facility.
“We have backed ourselves into a corner,” Cr Moran said, saying the council had no choice but to approve the extended lease to keep the library open until the new one was complete.
“And, madam mayor, I would say the community is entitled to feel razzed off.”
But mayor Marianne Saliba disagreed that councillors were to blame for the ongoing lease costs, pointing out that the plans to replace the library had been held up by unexpected findings at the new site. This included the discovery of shells, requiring an investigation into whether an Aboriginal midden existed at the site.
Speaking in support of the new building, Liberal councillor Nathan Cattell commended the council’s efforts to ensure Aboriginal heritage was preserved.
“I’m in full support of the development of the library, and I think we need to get on with it and do it for the community,” he said.
All councillors but Kellie Marsh and Cr Moran supported the library plans, meaning the new building can be constructed at Woolworths Avenue, behind Warilla Grove. The budgeted cost is $3.64 million.
Cr Moran said he was disappointed the council had chosen a site away from the lowest socioeconomic areas of Warilla, and also said there were parking issues at the new site.
Flood concerns have also been a major sticking point for members of the community who objected to the plans, however council staff said “flood prone land is a valuable resource that should not be sterilised by unnecessarily precluding its development”.
They also said flood risks were defined as “low” and that the structure would be able to withstand the forces of floodwater
“The building will act as a refuge in times of flood,” a report said. “Therefore, all occupants will remain safe inside until flood waters recede.”