Lambton College expansion gets fast-tracked

Heather Wright Special to The Journal Lambton College students will be getting a new sports centre sooner than expected.

Heather Wright

Special to The Journal

Lambton College students will be getting a new sports centre sooner than expected.

The college has embarked on a $45-million fundraising campaign to build both a Health and Research Centre and an Athletics and Fitness Complex.

The original plan was to build the project in phases, but college President Judy Morris said last week two centers will operate out of one building and construction will start next September.

“We have a great opportunity to construct both the Health and Research and the Athletics and Fitness Centre together,” Morris said.

They will be separate operations but share infrastructure and elevators within the same walls for greater efficiency, she said.

The 100,000-square-foot complex will be on the east side of the college and feature a gymnasium and fitness centre, research labs and a dedicated area for the nursing program and massage therapy.

The current greenhouse complex will be moved to accommodate the addition.

Morris and Lambton County Warden Bev MacDougall signed a formal agreement committing the county to provide $5 million for the project.

That commitment has been followed by grants of $10 million from both the federal and provincial governments.

The health and research centre will be named for Nova Chemicals, which recently kicked in $2 million.

The Athletics and Fitness Centre will be paid for with past and current student fees.

Morris said the college expects to have students using the facilities by September of 2018.