And closing Paul Robeson Theatre (deadline 28th August)
Hounslow Council is calling on residents to have their say on the refurbishment of Hounslow Library at the Treaty Centre in a public consultation taking place this summer.
The council put forward a proposal in a meeting on June 21 to modernise the library, equipping the building with new IT technology and creating a large group study area with Wi-Fi and laptop charging.
The scheme also seeks to provide an overflow study area for peak exam periods and to host classes for all age groups.
Hounslow Library is currently London’s third biggest library, with the People’s Network services providing computer service operating the second largest internet service to residents of Hounslow.
The council will also be consulting on the closure of Paul Robeson Theatre and its cafe, which forms part of its offering at the Treaty Centre. The space is currently mainly used for meetings, dance and performance. The theatre is sited on the 2nd floor of the Treaty Centre that shuts at 5.30pm and a stage without backstage access.
The council’s leisure team believes that meetings could easily be accommodated in the nearby Montague Hall, and that performance events could be relocated to either Feltham Assembly Hall or Watermans Arts Centre, both of which have capacity.
However residents will have the chance to have their say. Results from the public consultation will be reported back to the council’s cabinet in September for a decision on whether to proceed with the planned refurbishment.
Cllr Pritam Grewal, Hounslow’s cabinet member for leisure and wellbeing said:
“Hounslow Library plays a vital role in the community, and we believe it’s critical to refurbish it to 21st century standards and ensure modern facilities are available to all residents.
“The library is the third most visited in London, with the People’s Network computer services being the second most used in the whole of the city. Therefore it’s vital that the library is equipped with the latest technology and is more accessible than ever before.
“This proposal does have implications for the Paul Robeson Theatre, which we believe is not being used to its full potential. The theatre is located on the second floor of a shopping centre that closes at 5.30 that could be located elsewhere with better facilities.
“However most importantly, library users and residents across the borough will get to have their say on all of these proposals in the consultation which will take place this summer.”
The consultation, along with a pdf showing the proposed new design are available for download.
August 4, 2011