Melbourne’s booming City Library could move into Metro Rail Project building to cope with demand

MELBOURNE’S booming City Library could find itself in a new location made available by the Metro Rail project.

City Library in Flinders Lane could have a new home to cope with its demand.

MELBOURNE’S busy City Library could move to a new location made available by the Metro Rail project.

Freshly re-elected Lord Mayor Robert Doyle wants the library to set up in a new building that will be constructed next to Young and Jackson hotel as part of the CBD South metro station.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle. Picture: Hamish Blair

The City Library is currently in the nearby CAE building in Flinders Lane but is running out of room.

It’s reputedly the busiest lending library in Australia with about 67,500 visitors per month.

Cr Doyle said the metro station site would be ideal for the library.

“It’s right next to the station, it’s got high volumes, presents to Swanston St, so good transport links above ground as well as below ground,” he said.

“It would be a great thing instead of having fast food franchises if we have had students in the centre of the city like that.”

Cr Doyle said the council could also use the building to house staff who have “terrible” working conditions in some other locations.

Melbourne Metro Rail Authority has called for bidders to develop the new space after the demolition of the Port Phillip Arcade on Flinders St and outlets like McDonalds and Hungry Jack’s on Swanston St due to project works.

Cr Doyle said the city would be heavily disrupted by the works, but they would give the council the chance to improve streetscapes.

“Is there work that we can do on St Kilda Rd that keeps it one of the great boulevards of the world?” he said.

“Even little things like refurbishing the police memorial (near Kings Domain) and replacing trees needs to be thought through.”

Cr Doyle confirmed that a plan to revitalise Elizabeth St at the intersection of Flinders St would go ahead, with tram tracks realigned and later extended around the corner to join the Flinders St tram line.

“I’d really like to make streets a focus. Elizabeth St needs work. Northbank needs work, Market St needs work,” he said.

The Lord Mayor said that William St and Queen St near the Queen Victoria Market could also be in line for improvements.

Metro Rail Authority spokesman James Tonkin said there would be temporary periods of disruption to Swanston St during the decade-long tunnel construction.

“However, traffic on and next to Swanston St itself, such as pedestrians, trams and bikes, will largely keep flowing as normal,” he said.