Griffith’s Gold Coast campus is set to become an even more vibrant centre not only for students with world class teaching and research facilities, but also as a hub for community events, recreation and business.
Vice Chancellor Professor Ian O’Connor has outlined the vision for the campus with the release of a new Masterplan for the 70-hectare Southport site.
“The Gold Coast will have a University that is part of the community in every way,” Professor O’Connor said.
“As the Health and Knowledge Precinct develops around Griffith, the University Hospital and the Parklands site, the university’s boundaries will become permeable with educational, commercial, recreational and cultural pursuits all co-existing.”
More intense development within the existing footprint of the University will potentially double the capacity of the campus as Griffith prepares for long term growth on the Coast.
The next phase of development for the campus includes:a new aquatic centre,campus heart areas for students,a pedestrian spine down the centre of the campus andextra car parking.
Improvements will also be made to the arrival areas for the light rail stations servicing the campus from the middle of 2014.
Professor O’Connor said the new 50-metre swimming pool adjacent to the existing athletics track would be a wonderful asset for the University but also for the city.
The Masterplan was recently approved by the University Council.
The plan includes a multi-level carpark to help ease congestion on and around the highly-popular campus, while taking into account the positive impacts of the light rail will have on student transport needs when it opens in 2014.
Longer term development of the Griffith campus could include other multi-story buildings and further integration with the Health and Knowledge Precinct.
A new $38m Griffith Business building opens on Parklands Drive next year, being the last chapter of the current capital development program that has included the $150m Griffith Health Centre, $22m Learning Commons and library upgrade and a new sciences building, engineering facilities and sports courts.
More than 17,000 students currently attend Griffith’s Gold Coast campus. This is expected to rise to more than 25,000 in the next 10 years.