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Canberra Today 13°/16° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

ANU reveals multimillion dollar ‘Christmas present’

TODAY (December 19) vice chancellor, Brian Schmidt, from the Australian National University announced a “big Christmas present” for staff and students, and surrounding communities around ANU. 

Renewed Union Court.
Renewed Union Court.
The “Christmas present” is the construction of a multimillion dollar swimming pool which will take part on campus as part of a new recreation building in a revitalised Union Court.
Professor Schmidt says a campus swimming pool had been one of the most requested items from staff and students for many years.

Plans involve a $14 million multipurpose recreation building that will include a 25-metre six-lane indoor pool. ANU is also continuing discussions with the ACT Government about possibly building a 50-metre Olympic pool instead of a 25-metre pool.

The pool, scheduled to open in 2019, will be part of a new sport and recreation facility with a 15-metre-by-eight-metre hydro pool and a 24-hour, 7 day-a-week gym that will help meet community demand for additional facilities.

Schmidt says: “ANU has grown substantially over the past decade and we now have more than 4000 staff and 22,000 students, including 5000 who live on the campus.

“The residential community around us has also grown significantly in the past decade, and the demand for recreation facilities on our campus is far greater than what we can currently provide with a single gym and recreation centre.

“The new facility will expand on our existing sport and recreation facilities, and give students, staff and nearby residents a greater variety of facilities and services, so they can choose what best suits them.

“The more people on campus who exercise regularly, the healthier our whole community will be.”

The Club Group has been chosen to run the new pool and gym facility following a competitive tender process conducted by ANU.

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