Closing Ely Library

Mike Harries architectt

Growing up in Ely and Caerau there were some great achievements which was thanks to South Glamorgan Council and Ely's Labour councillors. There  was the Western leisure Centre built on the old TA center,and Ely Library was built to replace the old wooden hut that built before WWII. This was something great for Ely, it was something for the people of Ely to be proud of, it  was prestige because any news that ever came out of Ely was bad. In fact I remember the Echo's Dan O'Neill walking up and down Cowbridge Road West, and asking why "anyone would want to live there". That's how bad it was perceived.

For me this is important when I raised the issue with Cllr Peter Bradbury he assured me that there had been "consultation" on this. that nearly a 1000 Ely metro residents (population 30k+) agree to shutting the library, as do the police and the staff of the library.  So based on a consultation with just 3% of the people of the Ely area the Library will be closed and its collection will be moved into a  nondescript building. I have been told that it has to close because it will save jobs (perhaps that is why the library staff are supporting this).

It seems that the libraries in Cardiff's poor areas are being closed and replaced by "hubs". What I would like to know will they closed the library in Llandaff North or Whitchurch and replace them with "hubs".

No Cllr Bradbury and the folks over at Ely Matters this  is shameful, and if the local people support this, then shame on them!