In short:
Council officers recommend keeping Manor Lakes Library closed on Sundays after a consultation that left many residents frustrated by limited options and calls for both weekend days.
Council Says no to Sundays
Council officers have recommended leaving Manor Lakes Library’s weekend hours exactly as they are — open on Saturdays, closed on Sundays — following a long consultation that many residents say never gave them a real choice.
The report, tabled for the 25 November meeting, confirms officers want the library to retain its existing Saturday 10am–4pm hours, rather than trial Sunday opening, citing budget constraints, higher staffing costs and cleaner fees that would arise from operating across both days.
But while 75.93% of the 428 respondents technically voted to keep Saturday hours, the survey’s own data shows deep dissatisfaction with the options presented.
Of the respondents, 145 people used the open-ended question to criticise the “binary” choice and demand the library open both Saturday and Sunday — a model the survey explicitly ruled out due to financial limits.
Several residents also raised concerns that Manor Lakes Library has fewer open hours than other major branches across Wyndham, and argue the suburb needs more, not less, access to youth-friendly spaces.
Many say Manor Lakes already lacks activities for teenagers, leaving young people with limited places to study, socialise safely or simply be indoors — conditions that locals fear can fuel anti-social behaviour and low-level crime.
The report notes weekday after-school periods are the library’s busiest times, driven by nearby schools and young people using the space to study or attend programs. Residents argue that extending weekend access would strengthen this role and give young people more positive outlets.
This has sharpened criticism of Council’s priorities, with many residents pointing to the decision to fund a private security patrol trial in Truganina — a service with no policing powers — while declining to invest in expanded library hours that could help with early intervention and prevention.
The officers’ recommendation is cost-neutral and maintains the status quo. But with a rapidly growing population and rising community frustration, Manor Lakes residents say the question remains unresolved: should a suburb of this size still have to choose between Saturday or Sunday, when it desperately wants both?
