Whanganui community leader calls on council to keep library fully operational

Stone Soup's strategic plan has four goals - “safe, connected, locally-led, and participating”.

A Whanganui community leader is pushing for operations at the Gonville Library to be left as they are.

Whanganui District Council gave the public three options as part of its long-term plan (LTP) consultation process - keep the library’s days and hours the same, close it for one day a week or close it completely.

It is currently open six days a week and the council’s preferred option is to keep it that way.

During public hearings on the LTP last week, Stone Soup community animator Kathleen Parnell told councillors her organisation was “a neighbourhood” that covered 20 streets in Gonville and Castlecliff.

Its strategic plan had four goals - “safe, connected, locally-led, and participating”.

“We are blessed to have the Gonville Library in our community,” Parnell said.

“The team of staff there are kind, considerate and have the community’s heart.”

The council document said closing the library one day a week would save $21,000 a year and closing it completely would save $230,000.

There were activities at the library throughout the week and not just Stone Soup initiatives, Parnell said.

The library is open from Monday to Saturday. Photo / Bevan Conley

“We have a lot of young kids that have it as their safe place after school. Some of their behaviour is challenging.

“Support dogs come in and the kids need to read one book, many read two or three, to the dog before they are allowed on the computers.”

She said there were also safety days, such as computer fraud awareness.

“Every activity Stone Soup runs or supports at the Gonville Library can be free because we don’t have to pay rent and our people don’t need transportation.

“We are breaking barriers.

“The number of books loaned out is a byproduct and very necessary, but the social impact is astounding.”

Councillor Michael Law asked if Stone Soup’s needs would be met if the library was open seven days a week as the Gonville Community Centre ”which happened to have books”.

Parnell said that would be lovely but asked how it would affect rates.

Councillor Phillipa Baker-Hogan asked if it would be possible for locals to upskill and volunteer at the library to keep it open.

Parnell said Stone Soup had 31 regular volunteers but they were not required to fill one particular slot.

“Everyone has a dream for their community and I unpack what that is. Then we see how we can empower them to make a difference,” she said.

“The staff [at the library] are really well trained, you have good staff.

“I want to honour your staff and say I don’t think their work could be done by volunteers.”

Stone Soup champion Sharon Liernert said some children were “falling through the gaps” when it came to education.

“I would like to see a youth learning hub [at the library], complementary to the school curriculum,” she said.

“Those children deserve to have an education, we need them to have an education, but it’s not working for them.”

Councillor Kate Joblin asked whether children in Gonville had access to swimming.

Parnell said it was difficult and, although the Splash Centre was a great facility, many could not afford to take their families there.

People waited until summer and used beaches.

“It‘s the same as football,” Parnell said.

“We couldn’t get a team at my school because transportation to Whanganui East [Wembley Park] on a Saturday - when payday is Wednesday - is out of the park.”

Hearings on the LTP began last week and finished on May 22.

Council deliberations take place next month and the plan must be signed off before July 1.

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.