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This week marks an exciting milestone for the city – tendering starts for the construction of the Southern Suburbs Community Centre & Library.

The new state-of-the-art facility will be built on the corner of King and Greene streets in Warrawong on land that’s currently home to the existing community centre, as well as other properties on King Street.

The next stage of the tender process follows an Expressions of Interest in July this year, which allowed Council to go to market to establish a panel of experienced and knowledgeable companies who are capable of delivering such a high-profile project. These companies now have the opportunity to tender for the project.

“This multimillion-dollar project is so important to our community and is one we’re determined to get right,” Wollongong City Council Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said.

“We’re looking for companies who’ve demonstrated experience in working on large projects like this to work with us on delivering a new library and community centre for the residents of Warrawong, Windang, Primbee, Port Kembla, Lake Heights, Berkeley and Cringila. This community deserves a landmark facility that will become a community hub for years to come.”

There has been a range of community engagement opportunities during the planning and design phases of the project. It’s anticipated work will start in the first half of 2024 with the building to open in 2026.

“Projects like this take time and that’s why it’s important we celebrate with the community milestones like going to tender,” Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said.

“There is always so much work that goes on behind-the-scenes to make projects like this move forward and over the next few years all of this planning and hard work will be recognised as the building takes shape.

“I, for one, can’t wait to be walking through the doors for the very first time and reflecting how far we’ve come in terms of a library and community facility for this community. It’s certainly going to be a world away from the current library that’s further down the road in King Street.”

In addition to the construction of the three-level building, Council is also working on car parking, a town square, improved footpaths, road intersection works and improvements to traffic movement through the area.

“It’s a significant community asset and it’s going to make its mark on this community in a positive way,” Cr Bradbery said.

“This place will be a real community hub and has been planned in a way that it, and the services that can be offered within it, will meet the needs of the community now, and into the future.”