The former An Post sorting office in Finglas village may not be delivering post but will soon be delivering top class library services to the local community.
Dublin City Council announced the commencement of works to deliver a public library in the heart of Finglas village. The new Library will be located on Seamus Ennis Road, on the site of a former An Post sorting office, which was acquired by Dublin City Council in 2020.
The sorting office has not been in use for a number of years. However, the main fabric of the building is intact, making it an ideal candidate for ‘upcycling’.
The building will be retrofitted to meet contemporary thermal performance requirements and specific interventions have been made to optimise daylight and space to provide a sense of well-being and a vibrant place for the community, along with providing free Wi-Fi in a fully accessible building equipped with public toilets.
It is hoped the new facility will open in summer 2023.
The project will also include external landscaping to the front of the library. “The front lawn will be reconfigured to provide a pocket park with a new seating hub and a gently sloped pathway set in landscaped grounds,” said Louise Cotter of project architects Cotter and Naessens.
The use of scented plants in the triangular plots between the paths might aid navigation and enhance the sensory experience of pedestrians and wheelchair users, and particularly those of limited sight. This is just one of the design measures adopted to enhance the experience of all visitors to the library and make it a truly inclusive space.”
Speaking at the launch of the project the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy said, “I am delighted to mark the start of the works on the new public library for Finglas. Libraries are vital public spaces at the heart of their communities. While the existing library in Finglas village is a much loved and well used local resource, this new library will be a modern, universally accessible community space, and I look forward to seeing the exciting new services that the library service will deliver for the people of Finglas.
Main image: Lord Mayor of Dublin Caroline Conroy and Dublin City Librarian Mairead Owens.
Photo: Fennell Photography
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