Progress made on Napier Library project

Published: 22 November 2019

Last Updated: 2 March 2020

The new Napier Library is growing closer to becoming a reality with due diligence on the top three sites having been completed.

A report on the options for the Napier Library is expected to go before Council next month. “It’s great to be able to let our community know that progress is being made and having a permanent home for our city library is one of our top priorities,” says Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise.

In December last year Council approved the site evaluation method, and initially had 16 central city sites on its longlist. After a review many of these sites were deemed unsuitable according to the site selection criteria and due diligence was carried out on the top three sites. This included taking into account the brief for a modern city library of 2300 sq m, as outlined in the Napier Library Strategy.

“This is an exciting community project and we look forward to the next stage where we can share ideas with everyone,” says Napier Library Steering Group chair Tania Wright.

The due diligence work indicated that Council should continue to explore building options for the former library site, on Station Street.

The site options will be confirmed or otherwise by this Council and the Napier community through a full public consultation process.

The key objectives of the Library Strategy are: enabling access, space for all, knowledge advocacy, community collaborators and sustainable futures. Also driving future goals and outcomes will be a focus on the three customer groups mentioned in the Strategy – most frequent users, regular and occasional, and past and potential.

It assesses how a modern library should look, how it could be used, what it might house in terms of books, and resources and technology.

The central Napier Library continues to operate from within the MTG Hawke’s Bay building on Herschell Street after the Library building was assessed as earthquake prone back in 2017.

The Long-term Plan 2018-28 has $15.8 million set aside for this project, and more detail will be known around the actual cost once the site and detailed design had been confirmed and consulted with the community.

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