The city’s ridiculous decision to put an animal shelter in a former library near bustling Kingsbridge Road and the borough’s state-of-the art library is depressing and heartening at the same time.

Depressing because it just shows that the Bloomberg administration is hopelessly out of touch with the dire needs of its constituents in this area. There is so little space available in our community for new schools, youth recreation and other critical social services and they turn over a centrally located prime piece of public real estate to the animals. A worthy endeavor, but obviously not one that trumps the needs of local humans.

But it is also heartening that several sectors of this community are united in their opposition to this plan and support returning the building to community use. This is a reassuring sign of resurgent civic health — a community able to define and collectively advocate for its needs.

Community Board 7 chair Greg Faulkner is livid as are his fellow board members.

The youth organization Sistas and Brothas United and Pastor Fernando Cabrera of New Life Outreach International Church have collected 10,000 signatures on a petition calling on the city to use the site for youth programs and other social services.

We understand that the Health Department needs to find a place somewhere in the borough to put an animal shelter. But if it thinks it’s going to use 2556 Bainbridge Ave. for this purpose, they have another think coming.