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The front entrance of the Bellville Library. PHOTO: NIELEN DE KLERK
B’VILLE LIBRARY UPGRADE: CRITICS DOUBT IT WILL BOOST BUSINESS
L ibrary Library d evelopment development ad ud ? dud? NIELEN DE KLERK @nielendk
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n the eve of the long-awaited development at Bellville Library and Elizabeth Park, critics say they’re not holding their breath for a turnaround in declining visitor numbers. A tender worth around R17m for upgrades to the library and adjacent park was recently granted. In its heyday, Bellville Library issued over a million items per year. But this figure has declined steadily over the years, with 2016 seeing a total of 454 843 items circulated – more than one hundred thousand fewer items than in 2015. The project, which combines the park and library upgrades, is seen by many as a lastditch attempt to restore the library building to its former glory. JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, says construction will last around 15 months. No time is being wasted, and site establish-
ment is anticipated to start as soon as the next few weeks. The library will also be closed from 11 to 26 September for the retiling of the foyer. The upgrade will see staff parking at the library being extended by another 10 bays into the adjacent park. Current staff parking will be shared by library users. Other plans for the library include taking a section of the reference library to build a coffee shop that will extend to the park. The reference section will then be extended to make space for extra seating. “We also hope to create more IT infrastructure to create laptop charging stations, as we presently don’t have enough plugpoints for charging purposes,” Smith says. Current infrastructure at Elizabeth Park will be upgraded and CCTV cameras installed, while a “multipurpose urban plaza” will be created in the northern precinct of the park. But the upgrades to the library may be too little too late, some say. “The main reason people aren’t coming to
the library is because of the parking,” says Ilze Swart, former chief librarian from 1984 to 2010. “What will 10 parking bays do?” At the moment visitors to Melomed Hospital, the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court and adjacent businesses all use the same limited parking in front of the library. The Voortrekker Road Corridor City Improvement District (VRCID) is negotiating to manage the parking area. Derek Bock, chief operating officer of the organisation, says they’re looking to introduce paid parking and to ensure the area is clean and safe. “The VRCID is the only organisation that can deal with this; no other parking management company will deal with illegal structures, aggressive begging and general lawlessness as the VRCID does,” Bock says. He referred to other similar successes where the VRCID “brought down crime to virtually zero and the area is cleaned daily”. Bernard Stemmet, a car guard working in the vicinity of the library for the past 27
years, says he’s still sceptical about the developments. He says he can’t see the parking situation improving, even with the extra 10 bays and the VRCID’s help. “Then everyone coming to the hospital will be angry.” Other elements of the project have been bothering critics from the start. The Friends of Bellville Library (FoBL) question the need for a coffee shop when there is one already. The City is still relatively tight-lipped about the coffee shop saga. “Internal engagements are currently underway to finalise the process moving forward,” Smith says. “A property management-defined process will be followed, which is likely to be a competitive process.” Only time will tell whether the upgrades to the library and park are enough to weather the storm of the changing landscape of the area. “I would love to be proven wrong,” says Swart. “If it’s a wonderful success, I’ll be the first to eat my hat.”