Work to replace roof at Balclutha Library beings
Work to replace the roof to make the Balclutha Library roof watertight has begun with scaffolding being assembled.
Clutha District Council Head of Libraries and Visitor Information Debbie Duncan said “as the library is well used with over 1,000 visitors per week, the remedial work has been planned to minimise public inconvenience as much as possible.”
The carpark and rear walkway is closed and at a later stage in the project the main entrance will be temporarily closed, with entry via the side door on the Stewart St side.
The library will also need to be closed for a week to enable further work to be carried out in essential areas and this is expected to happen in late June.
Council has brought forward $110,000 to begin work on the ventilation system, the roofing renewal, and achieve building weather tightness.
The Balclutha Library has been experiencing numerous water leaks through various areas of the roof for over 20 years. Remedial work has been carried out throughout this time, including the replacement of an entire section of the roof within the last 3 years.
She said unfortunately, the remaining areas of the roof can no longer be repaired and require full replacement to make the building watertight.
The original “Carnegie” front section of the library was built in 1914, with extensions in 1989 and 1993, resulting in the library’s roof having a number of different designs.
Council has contracted local contractors to do both the roof replacement and installation of a new ventilation system.
It is anticipated that the entire project will take about six weeks, but this will be subject to weather or any issues (rotten timbers etc) that may arise during the work.
Library Services
- Photocopying and scanning assistance will be available at the isite.
- Some regular programmes will be postponed, and various collections may not be available at different stages of the work.
- Any changes to the library’s hours will be advised through the Council and library’s websites, Facebook page and Antenno.
- We’ll manage any changes to specific programmes or services through the library’s Facebook page and posters.