Strathfield Mayor Tony Maroun officially unveiled Strathfield’s newest facility, the High Street Community Library, at an opening ceremony last Saturday (17 October).

The new facility was built in response to calls for a facility that retained branch library services, as well as providing residents in the south of Strathfield with amenities that allow the community to participate in meetings, activities, classes and functions.

The facility offers a range of services, including computer access, wireless connectivity, a dedicated study room and multifunction rooms which are available for hire.

Cr Maroun said the facility achieved its main objective of retaining library services, as well as providing meeting facilities for the residents of Strathfield South.

“The first thing to say about the facility is that it looks great – the architect has done a great job in making sure that it compliments Edwards Park, as well as the streetscape,” he said.

“But more importantly, the facility is extremely versatile and can accommodate a wide variety of uses.

“For instance, the main halls can be divided into two spaces through the use of a moveable partition, meaning it can accommodate functions ranging from seminars to community gatherings, as well as its core function as a library facility.”

The High Street Community Library has been designed using environmentally sustainable design principles and carefully selected commercially available products.

An example of this is the use of movement sensors to ensures the use of artificial lighting is kept to a minimum, as well as the installation of two 40 000 litre rain water tanks that harvest rainwater from the roof for use in toilet flushing and irrigation of the surrounding landscape.