Forest Hill Library
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (February 2007) |
| Forest Hill Library | |
| Building information | |
|---|---|
| Town | Forest Hill, London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Client | London Borough of Lewisham |
| Completion date | July 1901 |
| Style | Victorian Building |
Forest Hill Library is a Public Library in Forest Hill, South London. It is a very old Victorian style Library and is a Grade II Listed Building. It stands in the London Borough of Lewisham, in between Forest Hill Pools and Sydenham School.
It is a local public library in Forest Hill, often visited by primary schools and local groups in the area. It has regular reading groups for adults and children, story and song times for Under 5s and a social group for Over 55s with a varied schedule of guest speakers and has facilities for meetings.
It is at present closed for extensive refurbishments. It is scheduled to reopen in early December 2007. A mobile library service is in place for the closure.
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[edit] Refurbishment
On 22 September 2006, Lewisham Council and English Heritage announced that the library - to safeguard the future of the it - was to undergo a £1 Million pound refurbishment, as the "Well-Loved" landmark enters its second century in community use.
The Council announced that approximately £1 million is available for comprehensive renovation work to be completed, whilst the building is brought in line with Disability Discrimination Act guidelines.
Cllr Chris Best, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said
We will work closely with English Heritage in order to guarantee the future of one of Forest Hill's most cherished landmarks and ensure it is in line with current DDA guidelines. The Council is committed to providing local communities with first-rate library facilities and services.
It is expected to be completed by the summer of 2007, and will include thorough structural work on the roof and celling. The heating, lighting and power supply systems will also be overhauled during the renovation, which is expected to take around 6 months to complete.
In line with the Disability Discrimination Act, access will be improved at the front and back of the building, along with the accessibility of the toilets and signage throughout the library.
A number of the refurbishment's details are still under consideration, when the finalised plans are agreed a further statement will be issued.
The library will be closed for the duration of the works and at this early stage Lewisham Council is looking at options for local service continuity during the renovation.
[edit] Location
Forest Hill Library is located on Dartmouth Road, SE23. This is just on the South side of the town centre. There is a bus stop outside of the Library for London bus routes 122, 24-Hour Route 176 and 197. These terminate in destinations such as Woolwich, Crystal Palace, Penge, Croydon, Oxford Street and Peckham. The nearest train station is Forest Hill which has frequent trains to Central London and Croydon. Soon the East London Line will be extended to Forest Hill as part of London Overground.
