A tough chapter

27th November 2009

Birkenhead's library construction has had its share of troubles, reports Edward Rooney.

Sharron Cleghorn gazes around the interior of the new Birkenhead library and allows herself a tight smile.

As one of North Shore's most controversial projects, it's been a tough ride for its manager who started  as a part-time librarian on the mobile book bus.  "This project has been a steep learning curve," she  says.

It's been a fraught five years since the old library on the corner of Rawene Rd and Hinemoa St was demolished. Long delays were caused by resource consent foul-ups and Environment Court appeals.

Meanwhile, the large Birkenhead area has been served by a library in a bolthole beneath the local leisure centre - a claustrophobic, makeshift room behind the rock-climbing wall.

A budget of $9.3 million has built two levels of well-lit shelf-space, study areas, meeting rooms and a basement parking area. The  building also houses Plunket and the Citizens' Advice Bureau. Mrs Cleghorn says the building is smaller than the one first  planned but it's still a magnificent result. The northern side, facing Nell Fisher Reserve, is screened by sculpted timber fins and the other side has a combination of solid and glazed surfaces to filter light and act as a screen for adjacent apartments.

There is also a large,  wide glass window on the  mezzanine set at a height to make the most of the views of Waitemata Harbour.

Aside from  the council budget for the building there are substantial contributions from the surrounding community.

Helenville artist Jeff Thomson - whose first job after school was at the former CBA Bank in Highbury - is sculpting three sections of curved steel "reading walls" featuring words of cultural and heritage  importance to the area.  Mr Thomson's sculptures have been funded by the North Shore Libraries Foundation, set up in 1992.

The Birkenhead Licensing Trust has sponsored three distinctive pieces of furniture: two David Trubridge Nanau chairs and a Purple South Strata three-seater bench. These will complement the interior design.

The library, council services desk and CAB will open to the public on December 17. Access to the park will be limited until landscaping is finished early next year.

Plunket will open when the  landscaping is finished.

Mayor elbows PM out of the picture

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams will officiate at the library opening, after telling the National Party that Prime Minister John Key won't be needed.

The Aucklander understands that Northcote MP JonathanColeman offered to ask the
Prime Minister's office if John Key would cut the ribbon and unveil the plaque on February
20, but Mr Williams said that as this would be the only major civic project to be opened during his term in the mayoral robe and chains, he would do the honours.

Further, he told Dr Coleman that the Government would be judged for the merger of North Shore City into the new Auckland Council.

Mr Coleman declined to comment  but library manager Sharron Cleghorn said the decision for the mayor to officiate was made by Mr Williams and Northcote ward councillor Tony Holman.

The letter from Mr Williams has been released to The Aucklander after a request to his office under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act. It reads:

Dear Jonathan
Thank you for your 17 August 2009 letter with regard to the opening of the Birkenhead Library and Civic Centre, and your suggestion of the possibility of inviting the Prime Minister to open this building
We will not be calling on the services of the Prime Minister as this occasion is very much a "civic" affair for North Shore City and Birkenhead. One of the key platforms I stood on for my Mayoralty was to get the Birkenhead Library situation sorted out, and this important community building put back in its rightful place. This has been achieved under my Mayoralty, requiring a great deal of personal input, and the collaboration of a good number of people to get the project completed.
This will be the only major civic building opened during this term of council and as such it is my intention to make it very much a "North Shore" affair, recognizing all those who have been important in resolving the laongstanding saga that we inherited from the previous council.
Accordingly central government, which has played no role in all this, does not come into the equation and will not be the focus of any such event. Indeed it would not sit well with me at all to include central government in any official capacity, when that same government is responsible for the demise of our fine city, and ultimately will be found to have been responsible for doing a great injustice to the people of the North Shore.
Yours sincerely
Andrew Williams JP
MAYOR

Archives redefined

A special room has been built for the Chelsea archives collection, bringing it to public view for the first time since it was donated 23 years ago. Birkenhead Library has been the custodian of the Chelsea archives since receiving them on permanent loan from the New Zealand Sugar Company in 1986.

The refinery's archives were stored in the basement of the old library and frequently used by researchers and genealogists from other parts of the country and overseas. Research and access has always been under the supervision of a volunteer with a
good knowledge of the collection.

The archives, stored in 200 boxes, are large sales books and pay sheet books dating from 1910 to 1960. The boxes also hold staff records and correspondence from the late 1800s to the 1970s.