Sod-turning for new Canberra Campus building

Construction of the Canberra Campus’s newest building will soon be underway, with an official sod-turning event held on Tuesday, 14 March.

ACU Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Craven joined Canberra Campus Dean Associate Professor Patrick McArdle, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students, Learning and Teaching Professor Anne Cummins, Chief Operating Officer Dr Stephen Weller and Archbishop Christopher Prowse at the sod-turning event.

“This small but significant ceremony was an opportunity for the Vice-Chancellor and President to signal the commencement of the Veritas building. In spreading around the very soil of its foundations we were able to symbolically plant our feet in the fabric of ACU’s newest capital initiative,” Canberra Campus Dean Associate Professor Patrick McArdle said.

The event took place on the site of the future Veritas building, between the two existing Canberra Campus buildings, Signadou and Blackfriars.

During planning stages the Veritas building has been affectionately referred to as the “Campus heart” as it will house vital facilities, including the library, café and AskACU.

The building will also feature a multifunction space that can house a 300-seat lecture theatre, which can be split into two smaller lecture theatres, along with a function space for both sit-down and cocktail events.

ACU is in final negotiations with the preferred builder who hopes to commence construction by Monday 20 March, with the building due to be handed back to the University on Tuesday 30 January 2018.