Thanks to funding of £134,000 from Caerphilly County Borough Council and £269,902 from Welsh Government’s Capital Transformation fund, Rhymney Library is set to receive an exciting refurbishment.
Improvements include refurnishing and modernising both floors of the library; creating an innovative education, reading and support hub for residents, Council staff and partner organisations.
Many features of the new design were taken from a Community Voice survey carried out with the local community.
The ground floor of the library will focus as the main book lending space for children, young people and adults. It will also feature a new seating area for laptop use and a small refreshments area.
The facility’s first floor will be developed into the ‘Idris Davies Community Learning Hub’. This vibrant teaching and learning space will feature state of the art furniture, laptops, an interactive digital whiteboard and become a focal point to continue supporting the Welsh language and culture.
There will also be three modern office spaces offering a private meeting or agile working space for the local community. Customers can also benefit from upgraded broadband and improved accessibility via the library’s lift and two electric vehicle vharging points will be installed in the car park for use by the public.
Cllr Carol Andrews, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Communities, said “Rhymney Library is already a hub for the local community, offering a warm welcoming space to all. The planned improvements will transform it into a flagship facility which incorporate innovative flexible learning and spaces, offering a wealth of opportunities for residents.
“We thank residents for their cooperation and patience whilst the improvements are carried out.”
Work on the first floor of the building has already begun, but customers are still able to access a full library service on the ground floor. The whole building will close to the public in March, for the remaining improvements to be completed safely, and is expected to reopen in early summer.
