Options revealed for Nelson’s new Civic Hub and library complex
Sites in Collingwood St and Church St are being pitted against redeveloping the existing Civic House in the search for a home for Nelson’s new Civic Hub.
On Monday, mayor Nick Smith and deputy mayor Pete Rainey announced the three sites going out for consultation for a new Community Hub, Library and Civic Space.
The new hub is designed to replace the Elma Turner Library and Civic House, which are reaching the end of their useful lives.
The three options are to redevelop Civic House and the adjoining Savings Bank and State Advances sites, or build a new community hub, library and civic space on either Collingwood St or Church St.
The estimated costs are $73.3 million for the Civic House option, $74.1m for Collingwood St and $88.2m for Church St.
For ratepayers, based on an land value of $405,000, the estimated additional peak annual rates impact would be $24 a year for Civic House, $44 for Collingwood St, and $71 for Church St.
Those amounts are additional to the Long Term Plan’s existing provision, which peaks at $207 a year before dropping as the debt is repaid.
For all three options the Elma Turner Library would be sold, and if Collingwood St or Church St was chosen, the existing Civic building will also be sold.
In all three options, the library floor and community hub space would be about 3500m², up from about 2400m² in the current library.
While the options carried different price-tags, Smith said cheapest didn’t necessarily mean the best.
“It is the public’s money and we’re interested in their view about what is the best value for money … we believe we can deliver each of these three options and keep our future rate increases to under 5%.”
For each site the council had negotiated commercial arrangements conditional on the public consultation process, he said.
Rainey, who chairs the council’s and city revitalisation taskforce, said people were being asked to consider more than the construction cost.
“This is more than a building project, this is an intergenerational investment in learning, culture, community connection, local democracy and the life of our city centre.
“Each option would influence the future of central Nelson in a different way.”
Smith said combining the library with a civic hub made sense.
“A single building combining library and civic services is more efficient and will provide a vibrant and flexible hub for our city.”
It would play an important role in revitalising the city, he said.
“A well-located civic facility can bring more people into central Nelson, support surrounding businesses, strengthen connections between key city destinations and help attract further private investment.”
The council was working to attract private sector investment, but it also needed to come to the party, he said.
“If we’re going to tell the private sector, Nelson’s a great place, you should invest, we too as a city need to make a commitment to invest.”
Each option had advantages and disadvantages, he said.
The Civic House option was the cheapest, but it was also constrained by the current building and would take the longest to complete due to having to decamp staff from the building.
Collingwood St was the largest option and would provide more community space, but it would also require leasing the land with security for 150 years.
Church St had the benefit or being at the heart of the city, with the opportunity to integrate in with the museum and pedestrianise Church St. But it was also the most constrained site to work on.
Rainey said it was an exciting day for the city.
“It’s going to create a focus and a hub for the people of Nelson and visitors to the city to come in and enjoy the kind of facilities that we’re seeing in modern libraries and community hubs around the country.”
The council’s current Long Term Plan 2024–2034 provides $68.4m for the project, with the 10-year budget set to be reviewed next year.
Consultation runs to September 6.
Councillors will consider feedback alongside technical, financial and planning advice before choosing a location and confirming the budget for inclusion in the next Long Term Plan.
At the earliest, construction could start in 2028, with the project completed in 2030-31.
By Katie Townshend, Nelson Mail
This Post Has 0 Comments