Residents hoping for a new branch library in South Dunedin might have to wait another two years.
The ongoing debate over plans for a South Dunedin library was raised again at yesterday's Dunedin City Council community development committee, when Cr Teresa Stevenson asked council library staff for an update on progress.
In response, council community life general manager Graeme Hall said the council was working to a programme, and a South Dunedin branch library "won't be started for another year or two".
The council was working through "preliminary matters" related to the project, but the planned upgrade of the Blueskin Bay library was the next project in the queue, he said.
That project was expected to cost about $800,000, with $500,000 from the council and $300,000 coming through community fundraising, the Otago Daily Times was told earlier this year.
The council also had $26 million in its medium-term budget for new city and South Dunedin libraries.
Committee chairman Cr Paul Hudson told yesterday's meeting the council's city property manager, Robert Clark, had identified a potential site for the South Dunedin branch.
However, there should be "no expectation" work on a South Dunedin branch would be undertaken in the next financial year, Cr Hudson said.
That would happen only if the site was secured, and details of the project would still need to be approved by councillors, he said.
