Renewing learning spaces inside and out
With only 17 days until regular hours resume, contractors are busy putting the finishing touches on the new facility named Te Āhuru Mōwai both inside the facility and outside.
The staff of the Manawatū Community Hub Libraries are busy cleaning, moving in boxes and shelving books into their redeveloped home on Stafford Street. With only 17 days until regular hours resume, contractors are busy putting the finishing touches on the new facility named Te Āhuru Mōwai.
The new facility is nearing completion in anticipation of the community opening celebration on Saturday 20 July. Externally, landscapers are busy developing the outdoor children’s area, plantings, a half basketball court and street parking.
The Manawatū District Council is excited to announce that 49 off-street parking spaces to support the new facility will be developed facing Hobson Street, directly behind the Feilding Baptist Church. To make the most of the parking lot, two large gumtrees are scheduled to be removed. These trees have been assessed to have a limited life and are known for dropping debris which is a risk to vehicles and people. Completing their cycle, these trees will be repurposed at Council’s Mt Lees Reserve to replace one of the adventure zone beams that has been well loved since it’s installation.
As part of the overall landscape plan for Te Āhuru Mōwai, a bird corridor will be planted between the new facility and carpark. “Bird corridors are a specific trail of plantings that help birds fly from different sections of native trees throughout the district,” explains Erica Rowe, Community Parks and Property Adviser. Currently the corridor exists through Awahuri Forest Kitchener Park, Kowhai Park, the Greenspine (along the railway line), Makino Precinct, soon at Te Āhuru Mōwai, and out to Mt Lees Reserve. “Being able to see and hear native bird life so close to the town centre will be a pretty special, calm and restorative space for all ages”, says Rowe.
Manawatū Community Hub Libraries is set to open to deliver services on Monday 22 July.
Kirsty Meads, Library Knowledge - Content Leader places the first book on the shelf, accompanied by Jenny Webb and Val Leighton, Library Hub Specialists from Manawatū Community Hub Libraries.