By John Baron
Refurbishment work on converting Calverley Mechanics Institute into a library are ‘on track’, council chiefs have confirmed.
WLD reported last year that services at the existing Calverley Library in Thornhill Street are to move to the Mechanics in a bid to save Leeds City Council money.
Leeds Building Services have this week confirmed that the £213,000 refurbishment work remains on track, with completion and handover expected next week.
Installation of new library furniture is scheduled to begin on Monday, 19 January.
The library service will begin decommissioning the existing Calverley Library building following the last day of service on Saturday, 24 January. From that date, staff will start the staged preparation and subsequent removal of stock, equipment and resources ahead of the move.
A spokesperson said: “Given the age of the building, it hasn’t been without its challenges, but we continue to work closely with [other departments] to iron out the remaining ‘tweaks’ before the building is open to the public.”
A formal opening date for the Mechanics Institute opening has yet to be announced.
Cllr Peter Carlill (Lab, Calverley & Farsley) said on social media: “It is great to hear the move is progressing well, and there should be very little time between the original building closing and the new one being in operation, as we were promised.”
As previously reported by WLD, the library building could fetch more than £185,000 after being put up for auction on 28 January.
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