Warrnambool council shelves $3m library revamp in favour of wider review

The council had set aside $300,000 in its 2022-23 budget to carry out preliminary design work on how to transform the empty library space next to the council offices.

But that money is now being repurposed for a wider "accommodation study" of how council's buildings are being used.

How much money will be spent revamping the old library and addressing maintenance issues across the council's buildings probably won't be known until the end of the year when a report is completed.

Last year the council had expected the bill to upgrade the old library site to be about $3 million.

The former library had been touted as a potential new council chamber to host public meetings, and the installation of a lift was flagged to make the facility more accessible.

The council's chief executive officer Andrew Mason said rather than looking at the old library space in isolation, the council would review how its city centre buildings were used including the civic centre, the former post office building, the Archie Graham Community Centre and the children's services centre at Swan Reserve.

"We will look at the accessibility of all of these buildings and how they might be used more efficiently or in ways that better service the community," Mr Mason said.

"This is being done through an accommodation study to be carried out independently with a report expected before the end of the year.

"We do anticipate that regardless of how the space is used, some investment will be required to improve access to the former library and to address maintenance and structural issues that are not unexpected in a building that is nearly 50 years old."

The council-run library's move to the award-winning new $20 million learning and library hub on the TAFE site in October left the former site empty.

But the council's information technology unit - which was previously located in a cramped room - was making use of some of the former library area.

Old library equipment is set to be sold via an online auction later this year, and once removed the council will be able to address some of the maintenance issues, Mr Mason said.

"The cost of the accommodation study and the online auction will be covered by the previous budget allocation," he said.

The review of council office space comes on top of a business case into a new art gallery and studies of AquaZone and Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum.

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