Northland's Hikurangi Community Library needs help for major repairs

Hikurangi Friendship House Charitable Trust chairman Neil Crowther and secretary Linda Vanstone are asking the community's help them raise funds for library repairs. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The Hikurangi Community Library is hoping the community it services can help it tackle a hefty repair bill.

The library, which is housed in the old post office building, is owned by the Hikurangi Friendship House Charitable Trust.

Chairman Neil Crowther said the building needed serious repairs totalling about $170,000, which would bring the building up to modern codes.

"One of our major ones is our repiling of the building. To achieve that we have to remove the existing chimneys."

Another complication is a large safe which is fully brick and will need to be removed to lift the building up.

The building is a listed heritage building and Crowther said Heritage New Zealand has asked the trust to restore the building as much as possible, so the safe will be put back in, and chimneys put on the roof to maintain the building's character.

"On the exterior we need some new weatherboards and a complete repaint inside and outside."

Other maintenance included replacing the kitchen and bathroom and improving fire protection.

"It's not insulated. The building is so low we can't get under the floor."

Crowther said the building was not going to be demolished - which was a rumour he had heard.

"We want to restore it, it's a valuable part of the town."

Crowther said the time had come for the work to be done. "We've just got to find the money. It's just got to be done."

The library is home to more than 8000 books and between 800 to 900 are issued every month.

The former post office was built in the early 1900s.

When the post office closed in 1992, the trust bought the building and turned it into the library, which was opened in 1993. It has been run by volunteers ever since.

The library is run from the front of the building, while the rear is tenanted.

A Givealittle page aiming to raise $100,000 has been started. The trust plans to apply for funds and grants to raise the money as well.

If you can help, go to: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/hikurangi-community-library-repairs

Donations can also be made directly into the trust's bank account, or by cheque. Contact the Friendship House on 09-4338452 for more information.