First milestone reached for Tamborine Mountain Library refurbishment

President of the Friends of Tamborine Mountain Library, Arne Lange, welcoming news that there will be more space in the library.

Scenic Rim Regional Council has purchased the former IGA supermarket site adjoining the current Tamborine Mountain Library to progress its plans to refurbish the current facilities.

Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said this is a great step forward in Council's commitment to renewal of facilities across the region.

"Council is delighted to be able to bring this project to life. The former IGA site is ideally located adjacent to the Tamborine Mountain Library, which presented the perfect blank canvas to be part of this jointly-funded project.

"Thanks to generous grant funding announced in March from the Local Economic Recovery (LER) program for the refurbishment of the Tamborine Mountain Library, Council has been able to act upon our long-held desire to acquire the larger premises.

"Council's Scenic Rim Regional Libraries Space Review in 2016 identified the need for an expansion in size of the Tamborine Mountain Library. The purchase of the former IGA site will enable this to occur and the project will now move into the architectural design phase, and more details will be announced in due course.

"Council's contribution is the purchase of the former IGA premises. We were successful with our grant application for $2,142,000 for the refurbishment and service upgrade costs to reduce the impost on Council's general revenue, which is a great outcome for ratepayers," Cr Christensen explained.

This project is jointly funded by Council and funding provided by the Australian and Queensland Governments through Category D of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to support recovery in Queensland communities affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires.

The project aims to provide enhanced community spaces that empower connectedness, and improve library and learning experience and better facilities, where allied health services can be delivered to the community.

Cr Christensen said that Council will be asking the Tamborine Mountain community to 'Have Your Say' to identify what they would like to see incorporated in their library space, similar to the community consultation done in the planning for the proposed Beaudesert Community Hub and Library.

"Libraries cater for diverse and broad interests and are now considered to be destination places. Further down the track we'll share a questionnaire asking what types of functional areas and facilities are preferred by the community. Libraries of today are vibrant and dynamic community hubs that integrate a range of facilities and deliver programs that engage members of the community of every age," he said.

President of the Friends of Tamborine Mountain Library, Arne Lange, says there is a great demand for meeting rooms and more floor space so there can be designated areas for different activities.

"Over the years I have often dreamt of being in a physically much bigger library because there is so much going on in our little library that we really need more space for this," she said.

"The people of Tamborine Mountain frequent the library and to hear that its footprint will be increased as part of the refurbishment is wonderful news."

Further information is available in the funding announcement made on 10 March 2021:
www.scenicrim.qld.gov.au/news/article/518/more-bushfire-funding-support-flows-to-the-scenic-rim