Library works set to start

By TANIA MARTIN
THE Shire of Cardinia is forging ahead with its plans to start construction on its $2.25 million Emerald Library project despite community calls for further consultation.
The council last week announced that it was set to break ground within the next couple of weeks following the appointment of building contractor Allmore Constructions.
Allmore Construction has an extensive background in largescale civic and education construction and refurbishment including working on the Monash University Library and Northcote Library.
The construction of the main library, two meeting rooms and a toy library are the key components of the library project.
In May local community members protested against the amount of space allocated for the toy library, saying that the Puffing Billy Toy Library which is located at Emerald Hall, had only been allocated half its current space in the new plans.
Residents then called for the council to delay construction of the library for further community consultation.
However, the council told the community that there had been ample community consultation over the library plans.
Forging ahead with its plans, the council hopes that an adjoining community centre and public hall will be added to the library project in coming years.
Mayor Garry Runge said the design and internal layout of the library had evolved over the past year as a result of regular consultation with the Casey Cardinia Library Corporation and local community representatives through the Emerald Library Community Advisory Committee.
Following the council’s response to community concerns over the library plan, Emerald resident Ed Chatwin wrote to the mayor requesting further consultation over the plans.
Mr Chatwin claimed that the revised plans for the Emerald Library were significantly different to the original plans.
However, the council believed that adequate consultation had been undertaken as the original plans were released for public exhibition in 2003 and that the final plans had not changed significantly from the initial concept.
Mr Chatwin said the library had been a requirement in the town for more than 10 years and failed to understand why the council could not wait a couple of months for further community consultation.
“We have been told that the consultation has been quite satisfactory and that the plans would not be looked at again and despite community concerns the library would be going ahead anyway,” Mr Chatwin said.
However, Cr Runge said that council officers and architect Wendy Hastrich had been working closely with library user groups to ensure all elements of the library project received suitable space for their operations.
“We’re (the council) confident of delivering a library which will meet the needs of the Emerald and wider hills community,” Cr Runge said.