Members of the Civic Facility Project Advisory Group are excited about the options Masterton District Council has agreed to take forward for consultation for the Masterton Library and town hall sites.

At their final meeting for the year on Wednesday, the Council agreed that three options should be taken forward for costing and consultation on the library site:

• do nothing (lowest cost option)
• undertake basic improvements (such as replacing the roof, lighting, and HVAC systems)
• upgrade and expand the library to include Wairarapa Archive.

It was also agreed to move forward with three options for costing and consultation on the town hall site:

• demolish the existing town hall and Municipal Building (lowest cost option)
• demolish the existing town hall, refurbish the Municipal Buildings, and build a new town hall/ performance space on the same site
• demolish the existing town hall and municipal buildings, build a new town hall/performance space on the same site, and expand Waiata House to meet the municipal buildings functions.

Both build options for the town hall site will include costings to keep the Municipal Building façade.

Chair of the Civic Facility Project Advisory Group, Deputy Mayor Bex Johnson said she was satisfied that the options chosen would give the Council its clearest steer on where the community’s views lay.

“This is the opportunity for our community to have their final say on what happens on the existing library and town hall sites – something many have wanted for a long time. It will be great to be able to get these projects moving forward for the community following next year’s consultation, if they’re affordable and what the community wants.”

Project Advisory Group member, local developer David Borman agreed.

“This has been a long time coming, and the options that have been worked up by Silverwood Architects look fantastic. I look forward to seeing the detailed designs as they come through, and sharing them with Masterton,” he said.

“We’ve all had ideas about what we’d like to see on the town hall site. I think Silverwood’s ideas for both the town hall and library sites will be well received by the community. There are some well-designed plans in there.”

Masterton District Council Chief Executive Kym Fell said he was pleased to have taken up the reins as the decisions around the library and town hall are being made.

“I wholeheartedly endorse the concept plans to develop new civic facilities in Masterton. A modern and well-designed town hall and library is not just a physical space but a symbol of community pride and progress. This initiative aligns with our commitment to fostering a vibrant and inclusive community.

“If the final concepts and costs are accepted by the community and plans are made to move forward with the projects, I can only see a positive outcome for our district.”

Fully-costed designs will be drafted in time for the Long-Term Plan consultation scheduled for April next year.

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