Council awards tender for Library-turned-Community Hub project

South Waikato District Council is pleased to announce it has awarded the contract for the refurbishment of the Tokoroa Library, which will see it reopen as a Community Hub for the District, to Brunel Group.

The refurbishment of the Library is one of Council's major projects outlined in the Long Term Plan, with $2M set aside for it. Applications were received from 11 eligible tenderers, and the contract was awarded to Brunel Group following an assessment of all applications by Council.

Once completed, the Community Hub will have bookable community and meeting rooms and accommodate Council's customer services alongside library services. You can find out more about what's happening and what to expect here.

The Tokoroa Library on Mannering Street was originally constructed in 1994. The much-needed refurbishment project includes a number of structural changes, the most important being water tightening of the building.

The building will get a seismic upgrade and other changes that will make the facility more energy efficient and cut operational costs, including double-glazed windows, an upgraded HVAC system and LED lights. The refurbishment project also includes replacement of wall cladding and roof repairs to address issues with waterproofing, moisture and mould.

Work is expected to start in the coming weeks and continue until mid-2026. All library services can currently be accessed at the temporary library at Leith Place.