Share your thoughts on Armstrong Creek’s first library

A NEW chapter is starting for library services in Armstrong Creek, and people are being invited to share their thoughts on the first page.

The City of Greater Geelong is working with the Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC) to deliver the Armstrong Creek Library and Community Hub for the growth area, and is calling for public feedback.

The facility will be an environmentally sensitive, state-of-the-art building designed to cater for the broad needs of the local community.

A survey about the library and community hub opened earlier this month. Among other questions, it asks people what community activities the facility should have, including digital technology, Council Customer Service, Maternal and Child Health, art and creative spaces, youth programs, seniors programs, natural spaces, accessible toilets, or a community kitchen.

As the facility will be a multi-level library, people are also being asked what services they would most like to be located on the ground floor.

The city’s website states concept design development for the library and community hub will take place during April and May this year, with detailed design development between May and November, and construction between June 2022 and November 2023.

According to the GRLC’s Library Infrastructure Development Plan, released in 2019, planning and design for the library will be finalised within three years with the library itself to be built in three to five years.

To be designated as a branch library, the Armstrong Creek library will be about 3,000 square metres in size and serve the Armstrong Creek Urban Growth Area, which is expected to accommodate about 25,000 homes, 22,000 new jobs, a population upwards of 66,000 people when fully developed.

The Library Infrastructure Development Plan notes library projects in Geelong will follow eight guiding principles:

New libraries will meet People Places building area standards

Equity and fairness in development and renewal

Local community needs will drive library design and renewal

Libraries are for everyone and will engender pride in the community

Libraries will be accessible to all and feature universal design

Libraries will be “future proofed”, built and redeveloped for the future incorporating Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles and flexibility

New libraries in the region will be developed in partnership and/or located with other services, and

Libraries will be primary access points for new and emerging technologies.

For more information and to fill out the survey before March 30, head to yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/ACLCH.