Belerren update

BRAD CARR, PROJECT MANAGER

It is with great delight, I provide my final project update on the construction of Belerren.

After almost 22 months on site, construction of Belerren was completed in May.

The receipt of necessary occupancy certificates for the building enabled the College to complete the commissioning for IT and AV systems.

The College’s IT and AV team contributed heavily to the building’s operational needs, even assisting with the installation of a large LED screen for the courts.

The next step was the installation of furniture and equipment - which really helped the space move from ‘project under construction’ to feeling like a functional building.

Another exciting milestone was the fit-out of the new strength and conditioning area. Students and the broader College community will now have access to state-ofthe-art facilities, filled with the equipment they need, which has been designed to support their athletic development and overall wellbeing. Ryan Letter, Head of Strength and Conditioning, was instrumental in the design and layout of the equipment.

The Senior School grounds department also moved their operations into their new facility in the

Belerren basement. This will provide them with ample space to store their equipment as well as have access to contemporary amenities, lunchrooms and office facilities.

To close out the project the landscape contractors have been working hard to prepare the interface between Belerren and the existing Rankin Field.

This space will create opportunities for outdoor recreation including basketball, netball, volleyball and even a pickleball court. It will also be a space in which students can warm up for APS games, and in which PE lessons and strength and conditioning training sessions can be conducted.

Finally, new pedestrian links between the main oval and the Recreation Centre will enhance connections around the senior school campus.

The relocation of two existing houses unlocked the potential for the Belerren site. It will now offer students, staff and the broader College community facilities that are second to none.

With everything in place, it was then time for the courts to host their first official game. The girls’ Firsts Netball team hosted Peninsula Grammar for the first official APS game on 15 June. College claimed a solid victory to maintain our brilliant form for the 2024 season.

A wonderful start to what is sure to be an exciting sporting history for Belerren.

The Official Opening on 26 July, will be covered in the December edition of Ad Astra.

The journey over the last three years has been an exciting one for the College and has meant significant improvements to the Senior School campus facilities.

I feel very privileged to have been part of such an exciting project, and would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all who have been involved. My colleagues at TGC, for the skills and efforts they have contributed, the wider community for their generous financial contributions, and of course, our external project team: Wardle Architects, ADP Consulting, ACOR, Prowse and Lyons Construction and their subcontractors.

I am very proud of what we have created.