Sherwood Library reopens after delays and safety concerns
Sherwood Library opens today following years of delays, developer collapse and safety issues, with the council leader calling its completion a personal mission.
Morning briefing Nottingham
Temperature
10° to 15°C
Rain
Showers through the day
Wind
Gusts 32 mph
Sunset
20:07
Ride details Mixed conditions - strong winds
Recommended gear
- Windproof
- Waterproof
- Jacket
- Light layers
- Hi-vis
Best times to ride
Very windy today
- 06 10°
- 09 12°
- 12 13°
- 15 15°
- 18 14°
- 21 12°
Sherwood Library opens today after long delays and Council Leader Neghat Khan declaring opening the library to be a personal mission.
The library, which was supposed to open over two years ago, was delayed after the original developers went bankrupt, leaving the site with over 130 "snagging" issues. After two years of weekly meetings, the majority of those issues have been resolved.
"I had to personally get involved in that," Neghat Khan told Nottinghamshire Live. "I've said from the beginning I don't want to open a building that isn't safe, and now I can actually say that when we open on Friday, it is a safe building."
Journalist Louis Corbett described the new library as "futuristic". The building is a vast improvement on the old library - which had toilets in the car park - and now includes all the features expected from a modern library: desks to work from, public computers, free wi-fi, and a bookable meeting room.
Other Nottingham libraries have seen improvements this past month too. Towards the end of March, both St Ann's Valley Library and Wollaton Library were closed for a week for refurbishment. Carpets were replaced with hardwood flooring. Wollaton has had its children's area expanded. The Dales Centre Library also had improvements to its furniture. These upgrades were funded by the Arts Council.
At the launch of Sherwood Library today, poet Ben Macpherson will be giving a special performance and a workshop for local schools. The library opens at 10am. On Friday, 24th April, the first Sherwood Social is happening for adults, including crafting projects and music.
