Related: Forster to get new library as part of civic precinct...click here

Related: Forster civic precinct a step closer...click here

But not everyone was happy about council’s decision to use a large sum on a new infrastructure project, while simultaneously asking for a rate increase starting in the 2016/17 financial year to pay for road works. 

A total of $6m has been put aside for the library (stage one of the civic precinct), aiming to build a new facility on the old primary school site on the corner of Lake and West streets in Forster. 

The crowd, including supporters of the library project, also made it clear they did not approve of the way the civic precinct plan had been completely changed from a water-side community space without public consultation. 

Under the new plan, the foreshore area would be sold for residential development to fund stage two of the building works.

Great Lakes Council general manager Glenn Handford was asked to explain how the civic precinct site had changed so significantly, and the plan altered completely, without community knowledge beforehand. 

“There was a lot of time spent developing the concept plan for the area, but there were problems with it,” Mr Handford said. 

Among the problems were an expensive underground carpark design and a three-storey build which would not have been as easy for patrons to use, he said. 

“Best practice says that we should create a new master plan, that’s right, but there is no legislative requirement to do that. We can take action on 

this now and have a new library, or we can delay and not get a new building until 2022.” 

The FOGGLS (Friends of the Great Lakes Library Service) were out in force at the meeting, signalling their support of a new building to replace the old, currently next to the council chamber on Breese Parade. 

The library has major problems, including a lack of floor space and flooding concerns. 

“You would have seen the news about it the last time it flooded – it came in like a waterfall,” Mr Handford said. 

“You’ve got volunteers wading through water trying to do the right thing, trying to turn computers and equipment off. 

“Someone’s going to get electrocuted. It’s a real OH&S risk.” 

The old library building would be able to be used to house some of council’s staff and get people out of the demountables that were put next to the council chambers as a “temporary” measure about a decade ago. 

Funds are also being made available to carry out works on the council chambers’ roof, which is causing ongoing flooding problems. 

Mr Handford said, two or three times a year, there would be a downpour or hail event big enough to block the box gutters and cause the water to pour back inside the walls of the building. 

People at the community meeting questioned whether council should be re-roofing the existing library building and making do rather than spending $6m on the project. 

“Then you wouldn’t have to raise rates to pay for roads,” a community member said at the meeting. 

Mr Handford invited people who disagreed with the spending proposal to send a submission to council. Its draft operational plan and budget are currently on public display.