From Hilltops Councillor Tony Wallace

It was with great pleasure, satisfaction and excitement for me, that we as a council last week approved the schematic designs for the new Hilltops library facility to be built on the grounds of the Young High School with beautiful views of Carrington Park. The added value to the community by being a joint use facility is immense. It provides facilities for community access that would not have been possible without being joint use. The new library is something that I have been pressing for from the time that the Young Cultural Masterplan was developed in 2014 and identified the urgent need for a new library.

Whilst the region is well catered for musically through the excellent work of the Regional School of Music, the community has little access to professional exhibitions of visual arts or professional theatre productions. There is little doubt that a thriving cultural life attracts both residents and tourists to the region. Examples of this are spread across the country. The Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart has effectively transformed a whole state!

With this in mind, it is worth noting that the Cultural Masterplan identified that the current library building in Young ought to be redeveloped as a gallery once a new library was established. Whilst it would be preferable to have a purpose built gallery space, the current library could undoubtedly be converted into a fine regional gallery. Council is obliged to make sure the current library building is put to good use and is an asset to the community. Accordingly, plans should now start being prepared by Council to transform the building, so that grant funding can be sought and building can commence post haste once the transformative new library is opened.

Councillor Tony Wallace

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• Local Council