A state-of-the-art indoor sport facility heads up University of Canberraโs (UC) new 2021-2026 Sport Strategy, which outlines their plan to become Australiaโs leading university for women in sport, integrity, and sports science.
UC Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Paddy Nixon said the Sport Strategy is a โreal opportunityโ for the university to build on its โspectacular sporting heritageโ.
โSport already connects UC through our academic, research and existing sport infrastructure and this strategy will both enhance what currently exists and embrace our plans for the future.โ
โWe plan to take the lead in womenโs sport, sport integrity and justice, and to foster community participation in sport by using the knowledge we gain through our research to enhance and develop sport in young, upcoming athletes.โ
The University will leverage the development of UC Sports Hub 2, outlined in the recently launched UC Campus Master Plan, to attract sporting partnerships and events, support leading education and research partnerships and create commercial revenue opportunities.
The precinct plans outlined in the Campus Master Plan include construction of a new arena and a multi-court sports centre.
UC Sports Hub 1, where the Brumbies are currently based out of, was built eight years ago.
With the UC Capitals currently without a fit-for-purpose home following the permanent closure of the AIS Arena last year, Mr Nixon said the University will โreally push the opportunityโ to build a world-class indoor sport facility.
The University is currently in negotiations to receive Federal and ACT Government funding for the project, with Mr Nixon planning to have the arena built in the next โthree or four yearsโ.
โThe timeframe is dependent on funding propositions,โ he said, โWeโve got to try to work out how we can co-fund this to deliver it for the ACT.โ
University Director of Sport Carrie Graf said providing a suitable high-performance facility for the UC Capitals is โvery excitingโ and long overdue.
โRight now, weโre standing in the Capitals high performance facility; a 40-year-old, barely high school standard gym,โ Graff said.
โIt will provide Canberra and the region with a facility that currently doesnโt exist.
โThe AIS Arena is no longer open for business, the National Convention Centre isnโt suitable for many sports, so for it to be based here at the University would be monumental.โ
Until the facility is built however, finding a suitable venue for the Capitals will be a โchallenge for the organisationโ, said Ms Graf, with the team having to massage their fixture around playing matches out of the National Convention Centre.
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