LATEST: Kildare County Council provides important updates on Newbridge Library and Riverbank Arts Centre

Kildare County Council (KCC) has provided important updates on both Newbridge Library and the Riverbank Arts Centre.

It follows after KCC previously issued updates to councillors representing the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District (MD) in relation to the two sites last December.

And now, two months later, a representative for KCC has issued even more updates on the two sites at the latest MD meeting, which took place on Wednesday, March 18 last.

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NEWBRIDGE LIBRARY

According to the rep, there is now Stage 4 Documentation Gathering in place for Newbridge Library, and a plan is due to be submitted within two weeks.

They also revealed that the improvement works project has gone "slightly overbudget", and that KCC would need to seek "additional funding" in order to complete these works.

The rep added that there have been some fire safety issues in relation to the site, but assured the attendees that the site will reopen to the public soon.

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RIVERBANK ARTS CENTRE

As for the Riverbank Arts Centre, the rep said that KCC is expecting a Part 8 response within a few days (Part 8 refers to a procedure which requires that the notice of the proposed development be given in the public press and that a site notice be erected).

The rep added that it is hoped that a public consultation on the Riverbank Arts Centre will take place in Q3 of this year.

Enquiring about Newbridge Library, Fine Gael Cllr Peggy O'Dwyer asked the rep about a potential reopening date for the facility (This query followed on from reports back in February which, at the time, claimed that the facility could reopen at the end of that month. However, this was not the case).

The rep assured Cllr O'Dwyer: "Yes, it will be reopened by April."

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Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender then asked the rep: "Has the lack of a study area in Liffey Lodge [the interim site of Newbridge Library] been addressed by KCC?"

He also asked: "And regarding the fire safety issues... how was this not foreseen by KCC? It was never noticed before?"

In response, the rep told Cllr Pender: "KCC is referring to a fire exit in the building. We will have to upgrade the door as it slightly below the allowable width."

After this revelation, Cllr Pender submitted a question about the Riverbank Arts Centre: "Do we have approval to go for a Part 8?"

"Yes," the rep replied.

They further said: "We will have a meeting soon to discuss potential contractor for this project."

"We also need to seek out an alternative funding source for the remaining works budget," the rep added.

Cllrs Chris Pender (Social Democrats) and Peggy O'Dwyer (Fine Gael) asked KCC questions in relation to the updates. Both photographs are file photographs

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