Chapter one is finally being written for the long-awaited Piara Waters library after the construction team broke ground in May.
The architect-designed facility will sit beside the Pavilion on Wright Rd, creating a novel services ‘hub’ for the community.
The $9.24 million price tag on the project will mostly be funded by the City of Armadale, with the state government chipping in $1 million.
On Monday council approved the money for the build as part of this financial year’s budget.
The plan boasts 1000-square-metres of floor space including a youth zone, kid’s area, computer and printing hub, and areas for collaboration and quiet reflection, alongside community meeting rooms which will be available for hire round the clock.
The creation story of this library has become an epic, with initial promises to the community made more than half a decade ago.
In October 2019, the City
of Armadale entered negotiations with Stockland to secure a site and commercial terms for a library for the Harrisdale community.
But a change of heart sent council officers back to the drawing board.
“I believe spending $2.5m on the fit out of someone else’s building is not ideal,” Cr Grant Nixon said when the Stockland proposal was nixed in August 2020.
That plan called for a commitment of $2.5 million and an ongoing annual cost of $1.3 million, totalling $16 million over ten years.
There was opposition to the abandonment of the plan, notably by then-deputy mayor Carole Frost and Cr Shanavas Peter.
“The main reason I am against this is because this community needs this now. Not in three to five years’ time,” Cr Peter said.
As fate would have it, it would be nearly another three years before the promise was fulfilled and work commenced on the community’s library.
City of Armadale Mayor Ruth Butterfield said it was very exciting to see this project kick off for the residents of Piara Waters and Harrisdale.
Within the next 15 months this vision will become a reality, with completion booked for mid-2024.
“This incredible community hub will bring together the joy of reading with the energy of sports to be enjoyed by kids, youth and adults,” Mayor Butterfield said.
There have been some community concerns about parking while the build takes place. Council have advised there is alternate parking available on Broadway Bvd.
