The future of earthquake-damaged South Library and Service Centre will be decided on Wednesday.

The building at 66 Colombo Street, Beckenham. was badly damaged in the 2010/2011 earthquakes and has been temporarily strengthened to bring it to 34 percent of the New Building Standard – safe to occupy, but in need of a permanent solution.

On top of this, amenities in the building, like the air conditioning system, are coming to the end of their lifecycle and need to be upgraded.

Christchurch City Council staff’s recommendation to rebuild the facility without delay, rather than repair, has been endorsed by the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board, considering it the fastest, most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly option.

Community Board Chair Callum Ward saud, “The community will be pleased to see a final decision on the future of the building at last.”

“They’ve been with us every step of this journey, and their feedback has informed the new design for a rebuild that we have on the table,” Ward said.

The council currently has $22.6 million of funding put aside for the South Library and Service Centre building so regardless of whether it chooses to repair or rebuild, it will need to allocate extra funding for the project as part of next year’s Long Term Plan 2024–2034 process.

“The longer the wait, the bigger the construction cost,” Ward said.

“Once we have a decision, staff will be able to forge ahead in earnest and give a solid timeframe for when people can expect to see South Library back at full strength,” he said.

The council will decide whether to repair or rebuild at their upcoming meeting Wednesday 4 October.