Rachel Elder and the South Dunedin Community Network’s Eleanor Doig have submitted on the council’s draft annual plan, expressing concern over the lack of parking spaces in the suburb.
"Creating no extra parking for the South Dunedin Library will mean carparks for the retail, food and commercial hub will be competing for parking space with the South Dunedin Library," Ms Elder’s submission said.
"This is a triple jeopardy on the people of South Dunedin."
Her submission said good public access to community services needed to have good parking and easy access for the community - especially for those with the most need in the community, families with young children, senior citizens and those with limited mobility.
"Effectively changing the location of the South Dunedin Library and Hub from the Vege Boys site to King Edward St has taken away 83 off-street accessible carparks from the library and hub without any public consultation."
The Dunedin City Council announced in August last year it had agreed to buy a building to be constructed at 138-156 King Edward St, which would be the home for the new library complex.
The council had originally planned to build the new library and community complex on a site it bought at 278 King Edward St.
Ms Doig’s submission also supported the new library complex, and urged the council to continue to "enhance this resource by ensuring the second-storey space is allocated as community space, hence making the concept of a ‘community hub’ a reality".
"The free use of the second storey of the new library will continue this valuable community activity in a community which desperately needs as much resource as possible.
"We encourage the planners of the library to consider the imperative of having parking close to the library, for issues of accessibility in a community with high numbers of older and disabled people."
Ms Elder’s submission reflected on the Port Chalmers Library situation, where the community faced the loss of eight carparks, before community outcry led the council to reconsider the proposal.
"Previous plans for the new King Edward St site had 40 carparks allocated to the library and hub.
"Presently, the South Dunedin Library and Hub in King Edward St, South Dunedin, is going ahead with no allocated parking facilities."
Hearings on the council’s draft annual plan begin today.
