The Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM, the First Minister of Wales, led the celebrations as Coleg Gwent’s brand new Crosskeys Campus had its official opening this week.
A-level Music students, who are among the first to be studying in the £13 million new facility, kicked off the event with a performance of 19th century classical music.
The First Minister then unveiled a commemorative plaque to declare the new building officially open, and joined other invited guests on a tour of the new facility.
The 4,700 square metre state-of-the-art building comprises 25 classrooms, a sports hall, two dance studios, performing arts theatre, fully equipped learning centre, music studio, rooftop garden, cafe and staff room and is home to around one thousand students on courses including A-levels, sport, performing arts, music and independent living skills. It also boasts many ‘green’ features including rainwater harvesting, solar thermal panels, a biomass boiler and is predominantly naturally ventilated.
Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales said: “I’m pleased to visit Coleg Gwent to open and see for myself the brand new facilities at the Crosskeys Campus, which have been built with the help of Assembly Government funding. The new campus is an excellent example of modern, environmentally-friendly facilities and will allow students to learn in surroundings fit for the 21st Century.”
Students who started at the Campus in September 2010 have settled in well and are enjoying their new learning home, and the feedback received by the College has been fantastic.
Hannah Thomas from Croesyceiliog is 16 and studies English French and Geography: “I really like the new building, it’s really spacious and modern with loads of great facilitates. I love the big library, where I spend quite a lot of my time.”
Sixteen-year-old Rebekah Morris, from Cwmfields in Pontypool, studies A-level English, French, Biology, and Chemistry: “The new build has some great facilities and media for language students like me such as plenty of books, CDs and DVDs in different languages.”
Principal & Chief Executive of Coleg Gwent, Jim Bennett, says: “The opening of the new building demonstrates our commitment to providing the excellent facilities that our students and staff deserve. The new campus is a great asset for everyone in the area, young people and adults, regardless of their subjects or level of study. I am confident that students from near and far will enjoy the learning experience this impressive new facility offers.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning & Skills for their huge support for this development, and for all the other work to provide excellence in which Coleg Gwent is engaged.”
Approximately 50 per cent of the project is being funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Department for Children, Education Lifelong Learning & Skills as part of a £50 million investment project to improve facilities of colleges in Wales.
