Elma Turner Library and Civic House are reaching the end of their useful lives. Critical systems are ageing, maintenance costs are climbing, and these buildings simply aren't going to last much longer in their current state. If we don't act now, Nelson risks losing the spaces our community depends on.

This is not just a problem to fix. It is a chance to build something better.

The Elma Turner Library is near the end of its life. It closed for over a year in 2022 because it was not safe in an earthquake. Repairs in 2024 helped for now, but they did not fix it for good.

Civic House is structurally sound, but it has not had much work done in 35 years. Its key systems now need to be replaced.

For the past five years, you have told us what you want from your library and civic spaces. Now we have a chance to bring it all together in one place. It would be a modern hub for the city, built to last for generations.

The Council has been planning for this. The Long Term Plan 2024–2034 has already set aside $68.4 million for the project.* The cost to ratepayers would start to increase while the project is being built, because Council would be spending the approved budget and borrowing the money needed to complete the work. The annual rates impact would be highest (at $207 incl. GST per year for the average residential land value of $405,000†) once the building is finished and the full project cost has been added to Council's books. After that, the annual cost would gradually reduce as the debt for the project is repaid and interest costs fall.

This consultation is the next step. We need to decide where to build, and confirm the budget for that place.

Before we design the spaces, we need to choose where they go. The location shapes a lot. It affects how the spaces work together, what fits inside, how easy it is to get to, and how it links to the rest of the city.

We have three locations to choose from. Each one has good points and trade-offs. The Council has not picked a favourite yet. We are wanting to hear what matters most to you, accessibility, parking, cost, convenience, revitalising the city or something else, before making the location decision.

* Inflated capital expenditure in years 2028/29–2030/31.
† The $405,000 is the value of the land only, not the house on it. Land value is how rates are worked out in Nelson.

The two main buildings in this project have very different problems. We have known about both for years.

Elma Turner Library: running out of time The Elma Turner Library sits in Halifax Street, in a building that was a car showroom about 40 years ago. It closed in 2022 because it was not safe in an earthquake, then reopened in 2024 after repairs. Those repairs brought the ceiling up to 67 percent of the new building standard, but the structure itself still sits at about 34 percent. The roof and key systems remain at risk, running costs keep climbing, and the building is the wrong shape for a modern library, with too little room for quiet reading, separate meeting spaces, or future growth.

Civic House: sound bones, failing systems The Council took over Civic House from New Zealand Post to use as its office building, and it has had little work done since. The frame is still strong, but the building leaks and its earthquake-prone roof has forced the top floor to close. Toxic mould has been found in some areas, and key systems like the fire alarm and diesel tank need replacing to meet compliance standards. If these systems fail, the building may not be safe to use until they are fixed, which would mean sudden closures, moving staff, and cutting off services people rely on.

Why a combined facility? The Council looked at fixing each problem on its own, as well as splitting teams across several sites. However, operating multiple sites would cost more in overheads, slow down teams that work together, and make people travel between sites to deal with the Council. Bringing the library, community hub and civic services together in one place works better: one welcoming front door, shared spaces that get more use, and a building that can adapt over time.

Helping to renew the city centre This project will also help renew Nelson's city centre over time. Each option does this in its own way. Fixing up Civic House would keep civic life on Trafalgar Street, where it is now. Building on Collingwood Street or Church Street would free up Civic House to be sold and rebuilt. That would bring new homes and businesses to the central city. Whichever option is chosen, this project is part of a wider plan called Te Ara ō Whakatū, the City Centre Spatial Plan.

Should the Council build now, when the government is talking about council changes and possible mergers? Nelson is the biggest city at the top of the South Island. It will always need a library and community and civic spaces, no matter how councils are set up in future. Any big change like that would take years to sort out. The problems with these two buildings are real right now. Waiting longer would only push up costs and raise the risk of sudden closures.

Why can't we just leave things as they are? The Council formally assessed doing nothing, and doing only essential repairs, before starting this project. Both were ruled out in the business case approved in August 2024. Even the bare minimum would mean earthquake strengthening and roof repairs to the top floors of Civic House, on top of running costs that rise every year. A major system failure would still mean large unplanned costs at short notice. The choice now is not whether to act, but where.

We have known about the problems with Nelson's Library and Civic House for more than ten years. Each of the Council's last three Long Term Plans set money aside to replace or fix them. The Long Term Plan 2024–2034 set aside $68.4 million for the project, but did not decide where to build. That is the choice in front of you now.