Perth Voice Interactive

PROBLEMS relocating Morley Library have caused a budget blowout of $276,000 and resulted in Bayswater council going back to the drawing board.

Notes on a recent confidential council report state the city will spend $776,000 — instead of a budgeted $500,000 — moving the library to Les Hansman Community Centre because of unexpected issues with air conditioning and power supply.

The council had to move the library from the Galleria after losing its lease to ALDI as part of a shopping centre revamp.

Mayor Barry McKenna told the Voice the extensive work has forced the council to review long-term, multi-million dollar plans for Les Hansman.

“We’ll have to design the centre around the library,” he says.

“The plan was for the library to temporarily relocate for about five years until we’re able to implement the Les Hansman masterplan. But it looks like it’s staying, and we’ll have to rethink that redevelopment now. We’re back to square one.”

He says the overspend couldn’t be helped, and it’s still cheaper than the council’s alternative option to temporarily relocate the library to the Morley Sport and Recreation Centre at a cost of more than $4 million.

Cr McKenna concedes the bungle could mean the public is stuck with a smaller, less-sophisticated library.

What’s for sure is a four-year-old Les Hansman masterplan that cost tens of thousands of dollars to produce, as well as a broader plan for Morley’s entire city centre, are off the table.

The masterplan outlined two multi-storey redevelopment options: one costing $10 million, with a function centre, indoor garden and office space. The ambitious second option was four times larger, costing $73m and including aged-care accommodation, an outdoor cinema, medical suites, retail and a rooftop garden.

The library is expected to reopen “early” this year but no date was provided.

by EMMIE DOWLING