The Banyoles City Council plans to begin work on the new library within two years, once the private promotion next to the future equipment is completed. A few weeks ago the mayor, Miquel Noguer, announced the winning project that will be in charge of writing the basic and executive project of the future equipment.
However, Noguer has recalled that it will not be possible to move forward until the private development that should be located next door is finished.
Meanwhile, the council has announced that it will have to demolish a part of the building due to the poor condition of the roof. These works will not involve substantial changes to the building but it is necessary to carry them out to “enter inside” the premises.
Miquel Noguer has insisted that the agreement to transfer the land implicitly included an agreement specifying that it was necessary to launch a private development on part of the land of the old Providencia before work on the new library begins.
This implies that until this private promotion is completed, the library works cannot be carried out. The council hopes to clear this process starting in the spring, when the first projects to build should arrive.
From here, the corresponding urban planning procedures will be carried out and the works will follow their deadlines. All of this is estimated to last two years and it will be at this time that the Banyoles City Council will be able to begin the rehabilitation works of the Providencia to turn it into the new library of the municipality.
For the moment, the mayor has announced that he is already in talks with the Generalitat of Catalonia to obtain financing. Some conversations that seem to be going in the right direction but that will be finalized later when more progress has been made in the project. In parallel, Miquel Noguer also plans to obtain a subsidy from the Girona Provincial Council, which will depend on what the Generalitat gives.
Finally, the mayor has announced that he wants to sit down with the Ministry of Culture to contribute to the construction of this facility. “In these remaining couple of years we must look for the money to then contract the works,” added Noguer.