Sod Turning of New Public Library for the Avian Park Community

The Western Cape Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais, today officiated the sod-turning, signifying the beginning of the construction of a much anticipated library for the people of Avian Park, Worcester.
In her address Minister Marais said the Library Service forms an important part of the Department’s outreach to educate and connect communities. This month Library Services are celebrating its 60th year. There are 361 library centres currently affiliated to the provincial library service and, as new libraries are built and mini-libraries provided, this number will continue to grow.

Constructed at a cost of R5 million, the Avian Park Library is one of six libraries in the Western Cape that will be constructed in the current financial year. There is a dire need for this facility, serving a community of 16 000 residents and 4000 households. The library will be approximately 500 square metres in size. Initially the library will have 7 public access computer stations with free internet access with options to expand in future. The library will house a collection of 21 000 information items.

Other library upgrade projects in the Breede Valley currently funded by Western Cape Government are Touwsriver and Slanghoek. The Avian Park Library is projected to open to the public in January 2016.