Clane-Maynooth Municipal District Meeting, Friday, 10 January 2020
Councillor Pádraig McEvoy
Question
Can the council advise of the consultation, the key development steps and an estimated timeline for the work to open the new library in Clane?
Report
The council’s vision is that Clane Library will be a unique centre for learning, information and culture. Accessible and welcoming to all, it will be a universal meeting place, a hub for the town, an engine for knowledge and creative economies.
The new library will allow for the delivery of facilities and services to support:
Reading and Literacy
Learning and Information
Community and Culture
The library will support individual and collaborative learning at all stages of life. It will include Information and Communications Technology (ICT) rich learning opportunities both for self-directed ICT based learning and group spaces for mentoring and learning support. The library will be child and family-friendly with safe and inspiring spaces and will be a hub for citizen access, allowing them to learn, create and participate. It will offer spaces which support and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship providing practical support in the form of free Wi-Fi, user space, specialist reference material and guidance. It will be an anchor and centre for community activity. New digital technologies will be fundamental to service delivery, including self-service, 3D printing and creative technologies.
A consultation meeting is planned for late January 2020 at a venue in Clane to be confirmed. Representatives from local community groups, local history group, youth services groups, disability groups, schools, childcare providers, members of the business community, elected members and library and non-library users will all be invited to attend and participate. At this meeting preliminary plans for the library will be presented by library management and input on services and facilities will be welcomed that will inform our plans for the new library in Clane. In addition, the council will ask their current library users and groups who regularly use the library for their input via focus groups and online questionnaires over the coming months.
Following this initial consultation phase and once the council has plans and drawings for the new library from the Design Team, the Part 8 planning process will also allow for public consultation and will provide another opportunity for input on the design and suggestions for services.
Current Estimated Timeline for the Clane Library Capital Project:
Tender for Design Team – February 2020
Design Team appointed – March 2020
Part 8 planning – June 2020
Tender for Construction – June 2020
Construction Phase – September 2020 – March 2021
Opening – Estimated April 2021
Issued by: Ms M Higgins, County Librarian, Library Services.
Information
Kildare Library Interim Development Plan [Link]
Minutes of the Meeting
CM28/0120 [Link]
Comments