Stromlo’s $3.5 million gymnasium officially open

Submitted by Andrew Barr on 18 February, 2010 - 20:47

This morning I officially opened the new $3.5 million Stromlo High School gymnasium.

The gymnasium was funded by the ACT Government as part of a commitment to provide all high schools with a gym to ensure students have the opportunity to increase physical activity.

This gym is part of the $496 million investment that the ACT Government is making in upgrading every ACT public school, and building new schools where they are needed most.

This state-of-the-art gymnasium can accommodate two classes at one time and has a full size competition basketball court, two half size basketball courts, two volleyball courts, six badminton courts, one full netball court, one indoor hockey court, one indoor soccer court, an indoor climbing wall and a fully equipped weights room.

Local and international research points to the positive link between engagement in physical activity and academic achievement, which is why investing in facilities such as these is so important.

This gymnasium is also an important part of the ACT Government’s continuing program to improve ‘where’, ‘what’, and ‘how’ students learn in ACT schools.

The gymnasium has been designed in consultation with school principal Cecily Blake so the facility meets the needs of students. The new gymnasium has also been designed to be environmentally sustainable and will capture, store and re-use rainwater for irrigation.

This gymnasium will also be a boost for the entire Stromlo community. Just like the performing arts centres being built at a number of our schools, the community will be able to access the new facilities after school hours.

The ACT Government is committed to promoting the health and well-being of the community through physical activity, and I am thrilled that through our continued program of investment in public schools, that we have been able to deliver this boost to the Weston Creek community.