Cranes are place and construction is ramping up on the main structure of CIT Woden which is due for completion in 2025.

“We’re investing in this transformational infrastructure project to support the future skills our city needs, but it has also been a game changer for the regeneration of Woden Town Centre,” said Minister for Transport and City Services Chris Steel.

“Woden will soon have a state of the art educational facility, a new light rail ready public transport interchange, and more green spaces for residents, students, commuters and businesses.

“It’s been a really successful project to date, with more than 500  jobs created, and represents the biggest change to the town centre in more than 50 years.”  

CIT Woden will have an ongoing impact on the delivery of vocational education and training in the ACT and will help support the revitalisation of the Woden area.

“In recent weeks we’ve seen the completion of the basement excavation, the arrival of the first tower crane, and storm water works underway along Callam Street to service the new public transport interchange,” said Steel. 

“A second tower crane will arrive early next month, and the concrete slab poured to support the North Pod of the building which will house specialist learning environments for hairdressing and beauty therapy, creative design, media and music.

“The building will incorporate smart, sustainable campus design, and current technology to offer courses that meet the vocational education and training requirements, and industry demands of a rapidly growing ACT workforce.” 

As part of this project, Canberrans will see:

• specialist learning environments for hairdressing and beauty therapy, creative design, and media and music
• state-of-the-art cyber training and digital learning spaces
• a training restaurant and bar with simulated kitchens
• collaboration and group-work learning spaces
• a multi-purpose hall available for external events, common areas and greenspaces
• incubator hubs and spaces for collaboration with industry and local business.

It is expected 6,500 students will use CIT Woden each year, creating more business, employment and education opportunities for Woden.

“Feedback from various community consultations has also been incorporated into the design of the building and precinct,” said Minister Steel. 

“We have heard the community and worked closely with our project delivery partner, Lendlease, to improve weather protection, connections to nearby active travel routes, safety, precinct activation and build in more green space.

“On weather protection, we have responded by adding a larger entry canopy, as well as increasing the overall covered area around the main CIT building by creating a 2.7-metre-wide colonnade linking the interchange and main campus building.

“We’ve heard from community consultation that making this a safe place through improved passive surveillance, providing pick up and drop off facilities, disability and business access around the CIT and transport interchange was important. This will be delivered through a slow speed local access street connecting Bowes and Bradley Street.

“The precinct will also include new public spaces and family friendly areas, together with more planting and canopy cover, that will see the heart of the Town Centre transformed.”  For further information on the CIT Woden project visit www.builtforcbr.act.gov.au