The Zernike Campus in Groningen is getting a major makeover in the coming years. The city has long aspired to make the campus more appealing and accessible.
Thousands of students, staff and professionals fill the campus during the day, but the area effectively shuts down in the evening. The area around the Duisenberg pond will become the heart of the new, green look for the campus: a promenade will be created along the waterfront. The municipality says the businesses in the north of the campus and the academic facilities on site will become a more cohesive whole.
A connection between the northern ring road and the Zonnelaan will be added to increase access to the campus, and a bike path will be built on the Penningsdijk between the Zernike complex and the Paddepoelsterweg.
According to the Groningen internet Courant, 22 million euros in renovations are planned for the campus by 2022. Sikkom reports that the financing for the facelift will come from the University of Groningen, the Hanze University of Applied Sciences (8.4 million combined) and the board of mayors and aldermen, which has submitted a request for a loan of 13.6 million euros to the council. Construction should begin in early 2019.
