Grapevine News Online Facing The Demolition Hammer

Facing the demolition hammer

For far too long Central Coast residents have had to suffer the machinations of a nondemocratic council and seen the loss of community lands and buildings, primarily for the benefit of business instead of the community. The latest community asset to fall victim to ‘dictatorial rule’ is the old Gosford Library building, which now cowers in the shadow of the demolisher’s hammer.

The existing Gosford Library building.

15 May 2024

ALAN HAYES

THE existing Gosford Library building, built in 1969, is recognised in the Australian Institute of Architects Register of Significant Buildings in NSW.

At the time of construction, there were a number of “state of the art” design and construction techniques used in this building. It was a rare example of the “Sydney School Nuts and Berries” design style, with unique Japanese inspired design and embedded architectural ideology. The design included low, hidden or no gutter lines, mezzanine levels, raked roof lines, ‘Gluman’ laminated timber beams, artistically made prefabricated concrete panels, Tasmanian oak casements and clinker bricks and quarry tiles.

At the Australian Institute of Architects conference, held in Gosford on 3 May 2024, Paulo Macchia, the head of matters dealing with Gosford in the NSW Government Architect’s office, and Andrew Nimmo, of Lahznimmo Architects, who designed the new library building, both made statements that the former library is an important part of Gosford’s heritage and should be retained.

Mr Macchia, who was key in the preparation of the recent Gosford Urban Design Framework (GUDF), and also Chair of the City of Gosford Design Advisory Panel (CGDAP) said that they envisioned the existing library building “should play a key role in activating Kibble Park”.

Mr Macchia also said “ there are, of course, many possible suitable uses but it would make an ideal annexe to the new library”. He explained how during the design process of the new library, the importance of the old library building had been recognised. The State Government Architect stated that the existing library building be re-purposed as a public building – possible ‘Town Hall’, meeting place, flexible exhibition space and investigate or upgraded new café integrated with the park.

The entry forecourt to the new building had been created in such a way as to “draw the park around the existing library building into the new site to create a meaningful connected public forecourt with the park”. Mr Macchia also said that there should be “a more connected pedestrian link across Donnison Street to achieve this”.

So, why is Central Coast Council hell-bent on demolishing the existing library building, despite the State Government Architect making it clear that it should be retained for adaptive reuse? The Grapevine can reveal that Council has ignored the Government architect's stipulations, and in ‘Point 3 of the Kibble Park Design Principles’, changed the adaptive reuse of the existing library building to ‘re-purpose restaurant building as a public building – possible cultural uses, meeting place, flexible exhibition space’.

There was clear intent for Central Coast Council to follow the NSW Government Architect and Gosford Urban Design Framework, which was confirmed in documents throughout the Kibble Park Place and Concept Plan back in 2020-2022-23.

The involvement of the extensive NSW Government Architect's Gosford Urban Design Framework (GUDF), and the community 'consultation', which was published in 2018, was to be the guiding document for the new library and the re-purposing of the existing library building. This intent lead to the existing library building receiving a major roof upgrade, solar panels, supposed termite remediation work, and a major upgrade to the building’s air conditioning.

The 2018 NSW Government Architect and GUDF documentation preceded the Kibble Park Place Plan consultation process 2020-2023. So, why have the public gone through a decade-long consultancy process with the NSW Government Architect, if the design framework guidelines were not going to followed?

Once the GUDF document had been changed by Council, as if it had been endorsed by the GUDF, the altered version was tendered at the 26 September 2023 Council meeting to permit the demolition of Gosford Library building. It was approved by the Administrator, Rik Hart, on the same night. This raises the question: "Did Mr Hart carry out his due diligence before signing-off on the demolition of the existing library building, or did he merely accept a staff member's recommendation?"

Central Coast Council's alleged failure to follow the NSW Government Architect and GUDF guidelines also raises another very serious question: "why did council allegedly alter a government document without the government's consent?"

Fig.1 above clearly shows the intention of the NSW Government Architect and the GUDF for the re-purposing of the existing Gosford Library building.

Fig. 2 above clearly shows the alleged changes made by Central Coast Council to a government document.

The Grapevine spoke with Andrew Dickson yesterday from White + Dickson Architects, East Gosford, who advised that after our conversation on Monday 13 May 2024, he sent an email to Paulo Macchia, Director Design Governance, Government Architect NSW, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, and said:

"I have been made aware that there have been some changes made to Kibble Park Design Principle 3 as outlined on page 9 of the GUDF regarding the existing library building that I am not sure that you would be aware of, or would have condoned, considering the extent of public consultation that you and your team undertook in preparing the document.

"Please refer the attached extracts from the original document, vs what is now described. It is important to note that the diagrams showing the library have not been altered, so they conflict with the wording.

"I am hoping you might let me know if this change to the GUDF was undertaken by the GANSW office, or if Council has acIted on their own in this regard. The document clearly states that it is the GANSW prepared the document and is responsible for giving direction on the Place Plan, particularly regarding principles 1-4. If they have acted on their own, this is clearly misleading and completely undermines the integrity of the GUDF."

Mr Dickson received the following response to his email from Mr Macchia:

"I can confirm that GANSW has not modified the Gosford UDF and were not consulted by Central Coast Council regarding the proposal you have forwarded."

The demolition of the existing library building was never made crystal clear to the community. So, why is Council proceeding with its plan to demolish the existing library building, contrary to the State Government Architect's specifications for re-purpose and without consulting its own Heritage Advisory Committee and removing it, as a last minute scratching, from Council’s Heritage Register when it had been recommended for state and local heritage consideration?

Yet a tender is now being let by Council to demolish the library building without a development application (DA). Not surprisingly, Council have ‘lumped’ the demolition in with the Broadwater Hotel, in Mann Street, near the previous Gosford Council Chambers, which does require a DA. It is questionable as to how the one tender can apply to both unrelated buildings, especially when the costs, other variables and conditions only become known once a DA is issued.

Fig. 3 - Existing Gosford Library tender.

Mr Dickson, in his email to Mr Macchia, also said, "One of our concerns, as the local architects on the Central Coast, is that Central Coast Council has let a Tender for the demolition of the existing Alan WIlliams designed Gosford Library building, as part of a bigger demolition Contract on the old Broadwater Hotel site and surrounds (obviously peculiar being at a separate geographical location).

"I have lodged a request with the Minister of Environment and Heritage, to consider an Interim Heritage Order to be placed on the existing Library building in order to potentially prevent the demolition Tender from being awarded, so as to have it properly assessed for State Heritage Listing. This request is currently being reviewed by the Department and I am awaiting feedback.

"I also attach for your reference, the Heritage Listing Data Form prepared by Merril Jackson OAM ADLFAH, BHIP (UNE), that accompanies the IHO request."

Central Coast Administrator Rik Hart said, in response to a letter received from a member of the community, “The existing Gosford library is not listed on any Local or State Heritage Register.

“It is acknowledged that it is important to recognise and celebrate the heritage and culture of the existing building, as it is to acknowledge those aspects of Kibble Port and the Gosford CBD in general.

“Council is committed to exploring opportunities, in consultation with the community, to incorporate educational to acknowledge and celebrate the history and cultural significance of the site. This can include murals, interpretative signage within the Park and a display of history, which has spanned three sites since 1948 within the Gosford CB, incorporated within the news Gosford Library.”

Mr Hart’s statement is at odds with the architect’s, who designed the new library building and with the recommendations of GUDF.

Hart claims that adaptive reuse of the existing library building is not viable because it “is now past its life span and would require a significant investment to bring it up to current standards. This investment and ongoing maintenance costs were a consideration by the CGDAP when the recommendation was made for ‘adaptive reuse’ of the existing library building as playing a key role in activating Kibble Park”. So, who's tune is Mr Hart dancing to?

Despite Mr Hart’s claim that the existing Gosford Library building is not heritage listed, it is listed on the Australian Institute of Architects significant building’s register; it is also recognised by the National Trust as a heritage listed building.

Administrator Hart claims that significant consultation “was undertaken, both through the development of Kibble Park Place and Concept Plan, and additionally through the ‘Safer Cities Her Way Project’.”

“All consultation re-enforced the need to address the current configuration of Kibble Park and the surrounding laneways leading to the park, to not only improve public safety and passive surveillance, but also to increase the number of people actively using the park and coming into the heart of the city to use modern amenities that meet their needs,” Hart said.

During 2023, Council exhibited and consulted the community about the Kibble Park Place plan and the Kibble Park Concept Plan.

There was no direct consultation about the demolition of the existing Gosford Library building.

Concerned Central Coast Resident Joy Cooper said that community consultation on the fate of Kibble Park was flimsy at best and the “Her Way Safer Cities consultation did not ask if the library building should be demolished.”

“I am sure many that did participate in the 'consultation' were not clear on the proposal of the demolition of the library building,” Ms Cooper said.

“This ill thought through idea was only mentioned obscurely very late in the 'consultation', plus it was ‘consultation’ for all of Kibble Park and Gosford not just the library building.

“There has been no published costing for the demolition and no cost benefit analysis for the two options.

“To date I have in excess of 1000 signatures on a petition to keep the old library building and the number is growing steadily every day. This is far more than the total number of residents consulted with the council 'consultations'.

“It is also my understanding the previous and current Council Heritage Committees recommended listing this building.”

Out of 350,000 plus residents on the Central Coast, Council only received 116 submissions on the Kibble Park interactive concept plan. Hardly significant community consultation, yet from the community participation there was some hesitation about the removal of the existing Gosford Library due to its heritage value.

You can sign the petition to retain the existing Gosford Library building here.

Fig. 4 - An overview of community sentiment the existing library consultation by Central Coast Council.

It would seem clear that due process and probity may have been ignored by Central Coast Council in the importance of keeping the existing Gosford Library building. It is unclear as to why, considering how many qualified and experience professions have declared the importance of the building – notwithstanding the fact that the building is now recognised by the National Trust.

The old Gosford Library building is not just important because of its heritage value, it’s part of the Region’s story.

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