Green Ladywell has a detailed account of the most recent consultation meeting about the future of Crofton Park Library, which was run by officers, rather than elected representatives. Aside from being well attended and uniformly hostile to the idea of the library's closure, the meeting threw up two possible alternative uses:
'Make Believe Arts' outlined what use they would like to make of the building if it does close as a library. This included bringing the upstairs back into use as office and community space, in addition to the downstairs. The building would be more of a (social entreprise run) community centre, a hub for various classes, rather than a library, although they would work with Lewisham Library Services to see if they could maintain some aspects of the library service (eg some books still there, albeit a greatly-reduced number, or some kind of order and collection service of books from elsewhere). They talked about the work they have been involved in at the Leegate Centre, where they have brought an empty shop unit back into use as a community centre.
The Ackroyd Community Centre didn't have a firm proposal as such, but had been approached by council officers and said that they were willing to work with the local community to see how the building could be kept in community use, with some element of library provision incorporated within that, if it closed.
Read on or join the Save Crofton Park Library Facebook group.
