Cork City Council should move on delivering a new purpose-built library for the city to replace the library on the Grand Parade rather than trying to convert some existing building into a modern library, a local TD has urged.
Cork South Central Social Democrats TD Padraig Rice said the clear consensus that emerged from a public meeting attended by about 50 people last weekend was that they believed that a new purpose-built library was the best option rather than Cork City Council trying to adapt an existing building to library use.
“We had a series round table discussions at our meeting, and the clear message was that people want to see a purpose-built library and not for it to be shoehorned into an existing building – people feel we should look at other European cities with purpose-built libraries.”
Mr Rice said people were concerned after media reports emerged earlier this year that Cork City Council was looking at converting the Counting House on the BAM-owned Beamish and Crawford site on nearby South Main Street into a new library.
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He said people at the meeting agreed with comments by Taoiseach Michéal Martin about how a new library could become one of the most attractive buildings in Cork city when he announced funding in 2021 of €46 million from Ireland’s 2040 Urban Regeneration and Development Fund.
“The Taoiseach, when he announced the funding allocation in March 2021, said that ‘the investment will transform the Grand Parade with over €50 million for a new public library, a new central plaza and boardwalk to facilitate cultural and recreational activities’,” he said.
Cork City Council has long acknowledged the need for a new library to replace the existing 2,300sq m building on the Grand Parade and had granted planning permission in 2007 to Frinailla Developments Lt for a 40,000sq m development that would include a library.
The new library was to comprise 6,200sq m spread over six floors, but a number of parties lodged planning objections and the project never materialised after Frinailla Developments Ltd ran into financial difficulties during the property crash of 2008.
Cork City Council reiterated in its Library Development Programme 2015 to 2019 the need for a new library saying that “the existing building cannot accommodate the stock resources, specially focused collections and the study and other spaces required in a 21st century library.”
Sources told The Irish Times that the proposal for a new library as envisaged when the Taoiseach made his announcement in 2021 was for a 7,700sq m building at the southern end of the Grand Parade on land currently being used as a car park.
The design involved the development of a plaza in front of the building which would face southward on to the south channel of the river Lee with access both from this new plaza and boardwalk as well as from both the Grand Parade to the east and the South Main Street to the west.
According to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which was providing the URDF funding, the plan also provided for a 1,600sq m Sanctuary Garden on the library’s rooftop for older people and those with disabilities to enjoy Cork’s urban biodiversity.
The Irish Times contacted Cork City Council with a series of questions about plans for the new public library, including whether there was sufficient space within the Counting House building at the Beamish and Crawford site to accommodate a new 7,700sq m library.
Cork City Council said: “The City Library Service is an important component of the cultural, literary, and recreational infrastructure of Cork city and its community now and into the future.
“The commitment to providing a new City Library of scale and substance is one that is a priority for Cork City Council. Work is ongoing to make this happen and further updates will be provided as this matter progresses.”
