Council shares concept plans for Te Ara Whetū

Kāpiti Coast District Council is opening the doors of the old Waikanae library to show the community how it’ll be transformed into Te Ara Whetū.

People are invited to drop in during the week of Monday 9 to Saturday 14 September to chat with the team, see the concept plans and view a fly-through model of the proposed layout.

Group Manager Customer and Community Brendan Owens says the aim of the exercise is to show the community how their comments from last year’s engagement round influenced the concept plans.

“The analysis of community comments showed several key themes which designers have built into the plan for Te Ara Whetū,” said Mr Owens.

“An obvious and popular comment was that borrowing books is the most important activity for Te Ara Whetū. The design puts books and collections at the forefront of the library. Collections will feature prominently throughout Te Ara Whetū along with comfortable spots to relax and enjoy them.

“Another common theme was that the library should be a multipurpose hub to support a range of community activities. The design responds to this by including several flexible meeting and community rooms which could be used for any number of purposes.”

Mr Owens reassures people that the old library is safe to occupy.

“The building has been stripped, cleaned and cleared of toxic mould. Recent air tests show it’s safe to be in the building, so we’re keen for people to visit the space and imagine what it’ll feel like when our plan is implemented.”

The concept plans show the proposed layout of the library (minor changes could still occur), but not the furnishing or external building details. The next design stage will include identifying the materials and finishes for Te Ara Whetū.

The detailed design is expected to be ready to go to tender for a construction contractor by the end of this year or early in 2025.

Visit the old Waikanae Library in Mahara Place, Waikanae to see concept plans for Te Ara Whetū from:

• 10am to 4pm, Monday 9 to Friday 13 September
• 10am to 2pm on Saturday 14 September.