Library and arts scheme unveiled (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Library and arts scheme unveiled
11:20pm Wednesday 26th May 2010 in
PLANS to create a new cultural hub including Old Town library went on display to the public for the first time on Wednesday.
Swindon Borough Council wants to transform the Arts Centre in Devizes Road by moving Old Town library there and creating a new cafe and bar area, box office, studio and meeting room.
If given planning permission the £300k project could be completed by September.
Helen Miah, head of culture at the council, said:“We are trying to achieve more of what we are calling a ‘cultural hub’.
“We want people to come in there and see a multitude of activities going on.
“It’s about getting the arts centre used more during the day and bringing the library in also gives us the opportunity to share services.”
She said the new studio space meant they could run workshops such as reading groups, pre-school activities and music events.
“You will be able to come in and buy a ticket for a show, take out some books and get a cup of coffee or a piece of cake from the cafe,” she added.
But the plans did not go down well with campaigner Shirley Burham, who fought to save Old Town library from closure.
She said: “It’s really good that they are going to keep a library in Old Town.
“But I would have like to have seen more imaginative architectural drawings.
“I feel like the library is a slight afterthought being tucked away at the back of the building.
“And I’m also concerned about people walking past it without realising it’s here.”
She said she would have preferred to have seen a facade built at the front of the Arts Centre next to the pavement to draw people in.
But mum-of-three Fiona Prideaux, who lives in Old Town, said she liked the plans and thought the scheme was a great idea.
“It’s much more of a social space,” she said. “I use Old Town library to get books for the kids and to pick up things I’ve ordered from the Central Library for myself.
“This will be more in the heart of Old Town and it’s nice that it’s going to have a cafe and toilets, which you always need when you have the children with you.
“They are very excited about it too.”
Comments(8)
bampi
says...
7:15am Thu 27 May 10
So, for £300,000 we get exactly what we already have (cafe and bar area, box office, studio and meeting room) only in different positions, and a library squeezed into the same space to boot. Anybody looking at the drawings of these proposals can only wonder what we are getting for our money. I would suggest the Advertiser print the existing and proposed plans side by side to show just how nothing is gained other than a re-shuffle of existing rooms.
Shirley Burnham
says...
8:00am Thu 27 May 10
Devizes Road is one of the problems. One can walk past the Arts Centre in the daytime without realizing it's there . My concern is, why would one be on Devizes Road? It's full of traffic, but has few people walking about beause the shops opposite look a bit dead and the adjacent buildings either empty or unattractive. Rather grim. Signage is the buzzword, but will that give the Arts Centre and library a high enough profile to make its use in the daytime a reality?
People really do want this to work, so I hope the Council will do all it can to take people's concerns about the interior and exterior of the Arts Centre on board.
politicrat
says...
8:10am Thu 27 May 10
Little cafe, a library, a cultural centre, It is in Old Town interest to concentrate on these rather than have ideas of grandeur to being a shopping destination.
bampi
says...
8:49am Thu 27 May 10
Shirley Burnham wrote:I live in Old Town and had no idea yesterdays event was even on? Shirley is exactly right; people do and will not know the Arts Centre is there. It lacks 'street credibility' tucked away as it is, and these new re-shuffle plans will do nothing to change this fact. Instead of wasting £300,000 creating mirror images of what already exists, we should be looking to expansion and bringing street frontage to the Arts Centre. I'm afraid we will end up with what we have now (only with a library squeezed in) and lose £300,000 to boot if these proposals are implemented.
The event yesterday was very good. Many came and most left comments. Devizes Road is one of the problems. One can walk past the Arts Centre in the daytime without realizing it's there . My concern is, why would one be on Devizes Road? It's full of traffic, but has few people walking about beause the shops opposite look a bit dead and the adjacent buildings either empty or unattractive. Rather grim. Signage is the buzzword, but will that give the Arts Centre and library a high enough profile to make its use in the daytime a reality? People really do want this to work, so I hope the Council will do all it can to take people's concerns about the interior and exterior of the Arts Centre on board.
Casual Observer
says...
1:11pm Thu 27 May 10
politicrat wrote:Old Town has had these things for decades, as well as shops, great restaurants, great pubs, great parks and all with a lot of character.
It is nice to see that Old Town is finally getting what I see as assets for the future.
Little cafe, a library, a cultural centre, It is in Old Town interest to concentrate on these rather than have ideas of grandeur to being a shopping destination.
You wouldn't know about that though, because you never go near the place. Instead you prefer a culture-free, "comprehensive selection" of utterly banal clone shops with a great range of junk food and not a decent restaurant in sight.
Make Old Town a better place politicrat - by not coming back.
politicrat
says...
2:34pm Thu 27 May 10
Casual Observer wrote:wow where that come from? I was actually praising Old town and this project:-)
politicrat wrote: It is nice to see that Old Town is finally getting what I see as assets for the future. Little cafe, a library, a cultural centre, It is in Old Town interest to concentrate on these rather than have ideas of grandeur to being a shopping destination.Old Town has had these things for decades, as well as shops, great restaurants, great pubs, great parks and all with a lot of character. You wouldn't know about that though, because you never go near the place. Instead you prefer a culture-free, "comprehensive selection" of utterly banal clone shops with a great range of junk food and not a decent restaurant in sight. Make Old Town a better place politicrat - by not coming back.
Old Town is a nice pleasant place, there is no denial but it is never going to be succesfull in attracting the numbers sufficient enough to sustain shops in Old Town!
maybe when there are car parks and roads capable to handle 1000s of cars, but I cant see this fit with the local residents somehow :-)
so yes in the meantime, Orbital grows and grows because it can!
There is no need to be nasty or jealous, Old town must now look at specialising itself rather than compete where it obviously cant.... this is called common sense!
Casual Observer
says...
3:16pm Thu 27 May 10
Correct, so stop it
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Tony Hillier says...
2:22am Thu 27 May 10