The $19.4 million project reached a major milestone in October last year when the Clutha District Council awarded a $17.75m physical works contract to Milton-based construction company Calder Stewart.
The facility, named in honour of the late Elsie Stewart’s "outstanding contributions to the community", is designed as a "year-round space offering swimming lessons and competitions, library and digital services, programmes and a place to celebrate local history", a council spokesperson said.
In the first week of January, South Otago company Andrew Haulage demolished the former Milton Community Library building in Union St.
An old house near the Tokomairiro Training Centre was also removed before Christmas to help clear the wider site.
Last week, demolition of the former Toko Training building in Ajax St was under way for the new build and carpark.
The council said the project was moving through the demolition phase as scheduled and the next step would be detailed planning for the construction phase.
The council will meet Calder Stewart staff in the coming weeks to discuss a build timeline, expected to span about 20 months, and estimate an opening date.
The overall project budget of $19.4m was approved by the council in December 2024 and includes $6.4m in grants and other funding. The remaining $13m will be funded by rates.
To ease the impact on ratepayers, the council decided the $13m portion would be interest-only for the first two years.
Former mayor Bryan Cadogan described the project as transformative for the town.
"We have strived to hold true to the 64% of Bruce residents that supported this project under extremely trying pressure," he said.
"This project is a cornerstone for Milton’s future, one that will define the wider district and add even more vibrancy to Milton’s revitalised main street."
The Bruce Communities Facilities Trust has committed to raising $2m towards the build.
"For the trust, it means we can move to the next stage of fundraising," committee chairman Stephen Woodhead said.
Further down the road in central Milton, work outside the public toilets plaza is also progressing, although completion has been pushed back to the end of March, due to delays finalising the structural design of a feature wall, which is awaiting geotechnical assessment of ground conditions.
In the meantime, Clutha residents and visitors can find library services at the historic Coronation Hall.
