Not just a library opening – it’s a big story for Gosford

Let the history books note the Gosford Regional Library is officially open.

It was opened twice, in fact. 

On Friday, September 5, Mayor Lawrie McKinna and Federal Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid revealed the official plaque and official guests heard speeches from the State Librarian and the building’s architectural team.

On Saturday, September 6, the Mayor cut the ribbon in front of the community and town crier Stephen Clarke declared the building open.

Then, more than 230 people became new members of the library and 1,750 books were borrowed on day one.

Three former councillors from the former Gosford City Council – Chris Holstein, Belinda Neal and Vicky Scott – attended the Friday event.

It was the former council that introduced a special levy on Gosford residents way back in 1996 for a new library.

It took less than 30 years to come to fruition!

As the official speeches on Friday were being given from the third floor of the new library, I looked out the window at the old library across the road.

You get a good view of its distinctive roof from up there.

Long-time locals remember when it was opened in 1969.

The Gosford Brass Band played at that opening.

The old library will fill a role in the future of Gosford that is as yet undefined, after a community campaign saved it from demolition.

That’s why I’m writing the story of the new library being opened.

I have an eye to the future.

Will some young architect student be searching the archives in another 50 years to try to discover the history of the by-then old regional library that a future council may want to demolish?

Right now, we have the new regional library in Donnison St across the road from the old library and both are within walking distance through Kibble Park of the derelict carpark that was Marketown shopping centre in its hey day. 

It is being demolished as we speak.

Five towers totalling 650 units have been approved in principle for the site, to be called Gosford Alive.

It’s a sign.

Everyone is saying Gosford is on the up and up – and on the move.

Well, it’s certainly on the up and up: you can’t see Presidents Hill from the new regional library thanks to the two new award-winning Aland high rises with the white sails on their sides.

It’s a shame because the new library was built to take advantage of that view.

And Gosford is certainly on the move: tonnes of soil are being dug up and trucked out of town as more and more digging starts on sites such as one across the road from South End Social, in Mann St, between the former council chambers standing empty and the police station which is never empty.

And, if we’re a city, we need a night life, right?

Hang on, the night life is gaining momentum.

What used to be the NAB building in Mann St is now the FAB building – the Fun Haus Factory.

The CBD has been renamed the Gosford Strip and granted $175,000 in NSW Government funding for a plan to activate the main street with food, bars, live entertainment, late-night trading, etc etc etc as part of a 24-hour economy strategy designed to turn Gossy Good Times into a vibrant Gossy Good Time.

It will mean young people won’t have to roll their eyes at the old-timers who keep harping on about the good old days when Gosford pumped. 

Anyway, back to the library: State Librarian Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon said the State Library team had begun working with Council staff in 2015 on site reviews and specifications “so we know what meticulous planning has taken place in delivering this fantastic community asset”.

“We began our relationship with the previous councils, Gosford and Wyoming, in 1948 and 1958 respectively, when those councils adopted the library act and opened their first library,” Dr Butler-Bowdon said.

“The annual subsidy that we provide to the Council has grown to one of the largest, totalling more than $1M per annum – we are very pleased to administer this NSW Government funding, which benefits people all over NSW.

“The previous library building, across the road, was state-of-the-art for 1968, but the growth in the population since then, and the evolution of the types of services that libraries offer has meant that a bigger and brighter library was required.”

Lahznimmo Architects Associate Director Hugo Cottier said the fact the library had been built true to its original vision without major compromises and with the funds available was testament to the determination of a lot of people within Council and for that the community should be grateful.

“Back in early 2020 we were very excited to have been awarded the design of the Gosford Regional Library,” he said.

“We knew that the community had been waiting for this library for a very long time, so felt certain that the project would proceed posthaste.

“Then COVID hit – that slowed things down; then our client went into temporary administration – that slowed things down; then just when we were ready to go out to construction tender, we were confronted with both a labour shortage, and supply chain backlog, creating the worst building cost increases in the past 40 years – that nearly scuttled the project completely.”

He explained the architects were attracted to the project because of the enlightened brief prepared by Council.

“This was never imagined as the traditional library,” he said.

“This library would be more than just a place to store books. 

“It is more like a community centre, where all types of public and educational activities can occur.

“Parents will come to introduce their children to a lifetime of learning and literacy: students will come to work on group projects or find a quiet place to study, retirees will come to explore the world of lifelong learning and everyone will come to access the many community facilities within.”

He said if Kibble Park was the town square, then the new library was like the town hall, “an inviting building with a civic presence that the community would take ownership of”.

“So it needed a big front door – thus this triple height space we called the neighbourhood room,” he said.

“From here you can see all parts of the building – and all parts of the building look into it.

“We wanted it to have a direct relationship to Kibble Park – as though the park flows into the space.

“We wanted the sound of children’s laughter to greet you on arrival – so the children’s library had to be on the ground floor near the entry – and it had to be a place that fused the joy of learning and play.”

Cottier said the architects wanted to take advantage of the beautiful Central Coast climate – so there are covered outdoor spaces scattered throughout the library where you can sit, read, and study, or check out your socials, in a protected naturally ventilated space.

“And we wanted to take advantage of Gosford city’s natural setting, framed by the twin peaks of Rumbalara Reserve and Presidents Hill – so we put the main reading room and collection on the top floor with unobstructed views to the north, and flooded with soft cool light from the south – we call that space the Public Living Room,” he said.

He finished up by thanking the architects.

“Architecture is very much a team sport,” he said.

As are libraries, these days.

Go and check it out; especially if you’re young.

You never know; you might be a community activist in 50 years’ time, recruiting the community to save this iconic building.

History has a way of repeating itself.

Merilyn Vale

(Library member since I don’t know how long ago)