Falkirk Council: £348,000 spend to give access to Bo'ness Library a happy ending

Falkirk Council will spend £348,000 to improve accessibility for the local community with the work seeing the installation of a platform lift providing access to the upper floors and meetings rooms.

The 16-week project begins on Monday, March 13 with the library closed for the first four weeks to allow contractors MPMH to carry out work. It is due to reopen on Tuesday, April 11 with other work being carried out over the following three months.

The main works on the ground floor will be limited to the plant room, which is to be redesigned to accommodate the new lift.

In addition, a new boiler will be installed, the existing toilet will be refurbished and the addition of a small smoke lobby off the resource area will be introduced to meet building control fire regulations. On the upper level, the toilet, staff kitchen and mess room will be reconfigured.

A short, inclined wheelchair lift will also be introduced to provide full and inclusive access to public area.

During the four week closure, members can access any library in the Falkirk area, with the nearest being Grangemouth Library or Meadowbank Library.

Bo’ness Library is a renovated 17th century building in the heart of the town in Scotland’s Close. It was designed by architect David Dow and was opened by Tam Dalyell on September 5, 1980.

The accessibility project at the library is the latest improvement coming to Bo'ness thanks to the Scottish Government's Town Centre Capital Fund, which has also supported: the introduction of an e-bike station at Union Street (£30,000); installation of public wi-fi (£26,000); and the small building repair and shopfront scheme (£280,000).

Council Leader Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn said: "In line with other construction works across the country, the library project has been delayed in starting and we have also had to deal with increased project costs to the Category B building, so we are delighted that the project is now set to start. We have met regularly with community representatives throughout the project and will continue to do so until the work is completed.”