Old library set for $3m makeover with $300,000 in budget to begin work on project

About $300,000 has been set aside in the council's 2022-23 budget to do preliminary design work on how to transform the empty space when the library moves across the road to the new $20 million hub on the Tafe site in August.

The council's chief executive officer Peter Schneider said the project to refurbish the civic centre space was expected to cost around $3 million but until the preliminary work was done the final number would not be known.

"It will probably be about $3 million over all, and that's still a guess because we've still got to do a lot of work on feasibility on what it can be used for, exploring what it might be," he said.

He said some of the $300,000 that had been set aside might be used for some immediate repair work on the vacant space.

But just when the major work is expected to be carried out is still to be decided but the council had previously flagged borrowing the money in 2024 for the works.

Mr Schneider said the space may be transformed to be used as the civic centre for council meetings.

"It would be more accessible and we'd have a look at maybe putting in a lift," he said. Mr Schneider said some of it might turned into more office space.

"We may be able to get some of the people out of the 'west wing' which is the old Post Office," Mr Schneider said.

"Having everyone in the one place under the one roof has benefits. It's a laneway and a division there, it doesn't enhance how you work together. If we can bring them over here that would be great.

"They're just some of the ideas that have bandied about." However, Mr Schneider said nothing had been set in stone and they needed to look at how it could be best used.

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