Shhhh… over budget Cairns library upgrade booked in

Borrowed money to upgrade Smithfield’s library has been checked out with a Cairns councillor arguing that similar works to upgrade the council’s southside shouldn’t be shelved.

The Smithfield Library is Cairns' second-busiest public library.

Borrowed money to upgrade Smithfield library has been checked out with a Cairns councillor arguing that similar works to upgrade the council’s southside hub shouldn’t be shelved.

Cairns Regional Council will spend $1.66m on the renovation, almost $700,000 more than previously budgeted, with flexible learning spaces, children’s areas and collaboration zones to be introduced.

Cairns Regional Council’s Division Two councillor Matthew Tickner is calling for greater investment in the city’s southern suburbs, including its library. Picture: Brendan Radke

But Division Two councillor Matthew Tickner said while he welcomed the project, overdue work on Edmonton Library shouldn’t become a work of fiction.

“The project will exceed the budget by about $690,000,” Mr Tickner said.

“We’ll see a number of projects re-prioritised into later years with the intention of utilising some of the $6.3m we have earmarked in future years of the 10-year capital works budget for the Edmonton Library.

“As the councillor who represents Edmonton and the growing south, I’ve already had a robust conversation regarding the current situation.”

With the southern growth corridor to dramatically increase in population in the coming years, Mr Tickner called on the council must prioritise the region’s assets.

“I was reassured that as we are undertaking a full strategic review of our library services around Cairns — a report that I’ll be keenly awaiting the outcome of — that the future of Edmonton Library will be taken into consideration,” he said.

“A full understanding of how, what and where, a new facility will be implemented is still not crystal clear.”

The Smithfield Library will undergo a renovation for the first time since 2007.

Smithfield is the city’s second-busiest library with its last renovation occurring in 2007, Division One councillor Brett Moller said.

“The library was built back in 1998 … and we all know how much our residents love our libraries when we look at survey results and attendance numbers,”

“Libraries are about lifelong education and learning and this is fostering it for our children.”

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the project.

Originally published as Shhhh… over budget Cairns library upgrade booked in