On Wednesday councillors asked for more detail on three of six options shortlisted in a feasibility study done by McElrea Consulting about the future of Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery and whether to shift the Alexandra Library to the museum.
Firm costings have not yet been done, but preliminary estimates for the three options range in price from $2.5 million to $6.9 million, and some would have an additional $382,000 to $600,000 spent on building a new museum storage facility.
The options are to extend the Central Stories building to incorporate the library and a cafe ($5.2 million to $6.9 million plus $382,000 to $442,00 for a storage facility); refit Central Stories on its current footprint to include a library and cafe ($2.5 million to $3.2 million, plus $382,000 to $600,000); or refit Central Stories on its current footprint to include a cafe and internal toilets ($3.3 million to $4.1 million).
All three options would incorporate space for the council-owned Eden Hore fashion collection.
About 1500 people provided feedback on the issue through several rounds of consultation, and most (56%) were against moving the library to the museum, Rebecca McElrea, of McElrea Consulting, said.
However, when the feedback was analysed by age, most in the 18-54 age group did want the library to go to the museum, Ms McElrea said.
Councillors had mixed views on the ideas.
Cr Martin McPherson said he was worried up to $8 million was unaffordable, and he suspected if people had known how much developing a combined museum and library facility would cost, many of those who had been in favour of it would have changed their minds.
However other councillors, and the summarised feedback of many others in the feasibility study, said combining the museum and library was a chance to develop a vibrant, modern community hub for Alexandra, and would be a more cost-effective sharing of resources, including staff.
Both those for and against the combined facility were worried about the library's Tarbert St building becoming vacant if the library moved to Central Stories, in Centennial Ave.
Ms McElrea's study suggested some other uses for the library building, including a youth centre, an innovation hub, a museum research and storage facility, pop-up shops or more apartment development.
Three other options for the museum and library were presented by McElrea Consulting but were discounted by councillors for now.
They were for the library and museum to swap buildings, for a new library to be built beside Central Stories and linked by a covered walkway, and for the status quo to continue.
