MAY 10, 2018
YOUR INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
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PH: 4325 7369
ISSUE 182
Councillors fighting to uphold community’s preference for regional library
T
he community’s preference for a regional library integrated with a-grade commercial space may be upheld when Central Coast Council votes on the matter on May 28. On April 11 the Council resolved to build a stand-alone regional library in Donnison St, even though the majority of community participants in an online survey had voted for a library integrated with a commercial building. A rescission motion at the April 23 Central Coast Council meeting was successful, and that earlier decision was reversed. However, after a scrappy and directionless debate, Councillors once again deferred a final decision on the location and form of the new library. It is understood that the absence of one councillor at the May 28 meeting, and a change to the voting status of another, may result in a third option making it over the line, which would see the regional library built in Donnison St, with commercial space, and guarantees to ensure the project’s financial viability. Mayor Jane Smith is not in favour of such a proposal and has expressed concerns that a library integrated with commercial space could represent a financial risk to Council. All Councillors voted in favour of the rescission motion except, Mayor Jane Smith and Clr Louise Greenaway, and Clr Doug Vincent was absent. The deferral was finally accepted: “to consider the commercial viability of a modern facility that the
Concept 2 (above) was preferred by the community; it has 10 storeys including A-grade commercial space and three levels of basement parking
community have said they want for the Gosford CBD.” “Following a detailed Councillor workshop, a further report on a revised proposal for a Regional Library in Gosford will be presented to the May 28 Council meeting,” Mayor Jane Smith said. “We need to ensure that we create a truly iconic building in the city centre, helping to attract business and investment to the area, as well as increase connectivity amongst educational institutions,” Mayor Smith said. “This catalyst project for the CBD must be a central meeting point for locals and visitors alike, creating a true innovation centre and drawcard to the city centre,” she said. “Libraries are at the heart of creating liveable, connected and sustainable cities, and that is definitely what we want to see for the Gosford CBD.”
After the meeting, Mayor Smith said she was concerned about the financial risks involved in committing to build commercial space with so much private development coming on line in the CBD and surrounds. “With some major projects, such as RPAC and the library, I don’t want to overextend without sufficient guarantee that funding will be forthcoming,” Mayor Smith said. “Right around NSW there are stories of councils that have been a little ambitious and have come down with over extending, and I am a little cautious about our risk management. “I think a regional library is a great project for the Central Coast, and for Gosford’s city centre in particular, so really, my specific concern is about the financial risk and making sure we have got that covered,” she said. “We have got some large
projects, and whenever we put up a large amount of money, that means that we are not putting it up on something else, and we need to ensure it will be successful.” On April 11, Councillors had voted in favour of the standalone library option, wholly on Council-owned land, at 123A Donnision Street. The building was to be redesigned to accommodate possible additional levels of commercial development if further funding was secured. However, a rescission motion to reverse Council’s decision was put forward by Councillors Greg Best, Bruce McLachlan, Jilly Pilon, Rebecca Gale Collins and Troy Marquart, for the April 23 ordinary Council meeting. Mr Tony Mylan, from ET Australia, which is a current tenant of the 123A Donnison St property and owns the adjoining building, spoke against the rescission motion.
“It puts further stress and concern on all of the people involved in this development,” Mr Mylan said. “The description in the rescission motion of this being ad hoc I find a bit peculiar, because I have been working with Gosford Council and Central Coast Council for three years, and it has been anything other than ad hoc. “I commend staff, directors and the Acting CEO for the work they have been doing negotiating and consulting with us and the general public.” Mr Mylan pointed out that 70 per cent of respondents to a survey about the library were in favour of Concept 2, a library combined with commercial space built across the Council and ET’s building site. “Despite public support for Concept 2, Council voted for Concept 1. “I am at a loss to the politics, but I wanted to indicate to the
meeting this evening that the rescission motion has some general points in it that leave ET Australia and other tenants with no timeline as to what might happen next, unsure what to do with tenants in the building, how it will impact on the school year, how it will impact tenants. “It will leave us with more questions than we had before this evening.” He said he appreciated Council’s willingness to vary Concept 1 so that all current Parkside tenants would be accommodated. Clr Jillian Hogan asked Mr Mylan to explain the impact the rescission motion was having on the tenants, many of whom were community service providers. “We have a tenant in that building whose lease expires on November 30, and we have been exchanging correspondence about an extension to the lease, and our tenants, who are a state government department, are extremely keen to extend the lease. “They wish to have a five year lease with a five year option, so they can refit and refurbish their premises. “We have been giving them a please wait response. “We wrote to Council asking for a timeline for development, indicating why we needed to do that, and as a result of that, we have now entered negotiations with the state government department to extend their lease. “If we do that, the space in Donnison St, and the car park, would be tied up for the next 10 years. Continued P4
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