Temporary suspension of service to enable hub work to begin
Customers are being reminded that a library service has been temporarily suspended to enable work to begin on Pendeford Community Hub - and about the alternative services which are available in the meantime.
Contractor AM Griffiths is due to start work on the hub, which will offer library and information services, a community centre and youth services, on Monday (30 September, 2013).
The hub which will be based in a remodelled building on Whitburn Close which currently hosts the library and community centre, and the library service has now been suspended to enable the building to be vacated.
The extensive modernisation work is expected to take between 6 and 7 months to complete, during which time the building will be unavailable to the public. Alternative arrangements have been made to allow community activities to continue locally, while Wolverhampton City Council is investigating the possibility of establishing a temporary library in the area.
In the meantime, customers are reminded that they can borrow and renew items at any library in the city and renew books either online at Type=links;Linkid=2619;Title=Libraries;Target=_blank; or via the 24 hour renewals hotline on 01902 552500. They have also been offered extended loan periods and can return items to the nearby St Pauls C of E Church.
Councillor Elias Mattu, the city council's Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities, said: "These are exciting plans which will see the creation of an excellent new facility for the whole community.
"There is a great deal of work to be done at Pendeford, which means we cannot use the building for the next few months.
"We've made alternative arrangements to allow the community centre to continue to operate during this time, and are working hard to find a location from which we may be able to offer a temporary library service while the work takes place."
Councillor Mattu said: "We appreciate that the temporary suspension of the library service will cause some inconvenience.
"We hope that customers will bear with us during this time, and I'd like to reassure customers that we are doing all we can to make alternative arrangements for the service "
The hubs are being developed in phases across the city with the first few, including Pendeford, due to open next year. Councillor Mattu added: "The city council is facing unprecedented financial pressures and we are working hard to protect essential services as best we can.
"These hubs seek to safeguard our libraries, community centres and youth centres by bringing them together under one roof."
released: Friday 27 September, 2013
Released: Friday 27th September, 2013