Joint Venture Opens With Military Precision

16 April 2003

Joint Venture Opens With Military Precision

With air cadets providing a quarter guard and a flyover by a formation of antique warbirds, the opening of UNITEC's newest building will be unlike anything the Institute of Technology has staged before.

The building was donated to the Air Training Corps (ATC) by the Royal New Zealand Air Force and was relocated to UNITEC's Mount Albert campus in a joint venture with the institute's School of Sport, the ATC and College Sport.

Dame Catherine Tizard is officially opening the new facility at a ceremony taking place on the day after Anzac day.

The new building is one of a number of ongoing collaborative ventures UNITEC is involved in with local community groups and businesses.

School of Sport head Nicki Turner said the project brought together organisations with complementary goals. "We have similar objectives, developing leadership skills among young people through physical and personal development, so there are some obvious synergies."

As well as offices and seminar spaces, the building has an indoor training centre with equipment for the biomechanical analysis of sportspeople and purpose-built facilities for the air cadets.

One of UNITEC's lecturers, Neil Wells, is also Chairperson of the ATC Trust and Ms Turner says the joint initiative came as a result of ongoing discussions. "We had been talking about ways the organisations could work together and the ATC had the building, but nowhere to put it.

"UNITEC was also looking at joint projects with College Sport, so it all came together very quickly."

Mr Wells says the venture is a good outcome for all those involved. "It really is a win-win situation and will open up opportunities for more collaboration between the three organisations."

What: Opening ceremony for the ATC Ventura Complex Where: UNITEC Institute of Technology, Entry Four, Carrington Road, Mount Albert When: 9.30am, Saturday 26 April

For more information contact: Nicki Turner, Head of UNITEC School of Sport 815 4321 x8015 021 649 422 or Neil Wells, Chairperson, Air Training Corps Trust 815 4321 x8006 0274 578 458

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