[A]mbleside Library was officially reopened today following a major refurbishment, funded by approx. £230,000 investment from Cumbria County Council.
Long-serving member of the library and local resident Mrs Joan Newby carried out a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Ambleside Library, which also hosted a Living Well Fair during the day.
This one-day fair is aimed at adults of all ages, presenting them with a wide range of beneficial and health-improving activities. It also aims to put them in direct contact with various local organisations and individuals, offering social support, companionship and practical advice in meeting the physical and mental challenges of later life.
Ambleside Library completed a major refurbishment in January 2018 to turn it into a Community Hub. The new-look library is now home to Lakes Parish Council and hosts all of their council meetings. Together the library and parish council are supporting a number of local community groups, including Learning Plus, South Lakeland District Council’s customer advice drop-in sessions, Citizens Advice, Barnardo’s Lakes Child Health Clinic, Falls Prevention and Older People’s Project drop-ins, Dignity in Dementia Songsters and the Knit and Natter group.
The refurbishment has delivered access to the first floor for people with disabilities by installing a lift and additional disabled toilet facilities. The library is situated opposite the main bus stops in Ambleside and a new lounge area is available, with tea and coffee making facilities for visitors to Ambleside to drop in and use the free WiFi as an alternative to waiting in the cold for a bus.
Councillor Deborah Earl, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Community Services, said: “I am delighted to see Ambleside Library re-opening as a community hub – the new facilities will be of huge benefit to the local community and visitors alike. The Living Well Fair is a fantastic opportunity for local people to get together – they can have a look at the new library, speak to local community groups about getting the best out of later life in terms of their health and wellbeing, catch up with old friends and maybe meet some new ones!
“We have received many favourable comments from the public and we’re particularly pleased to see people re-joining the library. We are committed to libraries because they are about more than books – they are community hubs providing access to a huge range of resources, experiences and learning. Government cuts have put financial pressure on libraries but the council has made every effort to manage this without affecting the service the public receives.”