This year has seen its fair share of majestic and royal occasions in the UK. The 2012 London Olympic Games happened to fall during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and with the premier sporting occasion having been a great success one can only be intrigued at what the Olympic legacy will hold, whether from the tourism side of things or from a financial perspective.
The London 2012 Organising Committee has just recently transferred the Olympic Park to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) which has marked the major step in the project.
Take Your Marks
The first phase of the Olympic legacy plan is well underway and the Olympic Park has been the focus of attention as a significant number of temporary structures and facilities have already been removed just several weeks since the Paralympics closing ceremony. The LLDC have now been awarded all control of Olympic Park operations (from access control to surrounding security and logistics) and associated zones. The legacy company will move on to create the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park that will be considered a new area of London with a construction budget of 292 million pounds.
Go!
Various sites have already been handed over to LLDC from LOCOG. These include the Basketball Arena, the Velodrome and the Aquatics Centre. In November the Copper Box will fall under LLDC’s control and the Legacy will see the Olympic Stadium and Press and Broadcast Centres follow suit in December.
The Finish Line
LOCOG is also readying itself to transfer the Olympic Village to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). This forms part of the legacy as a large-scale retrofitting project commences, with the view to transform over 2,000 apartments and houses into a new London community – East Village.
Words of Optimism
The chairman of LOCOG, Seb Coe, explained how proud he was of the organising team who helped produce such a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games. Now the legacy needs to reflect that success for generations to come and that is the direction the organisation is presently heading in. The transformation of venues, parklands and facilities in the Olympic park will no doubt be a symbol of the “golden summer” of 2012.
Dennis Hone, Chief Executive of ODA and interim Chief Executive of LLDC expressed enthusiasm at the future prospects of the legacy and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. He said that that the new construction, retrofitting and landscaping within and surrounding the village will create an extremely enticing community in which to live work and visit.
The Olympic Legacy Corporation is hoping to re-open certain sections of the Park in various phases from the end of July 2013, with completion of the Park set for spring 2014.
Citations:
- CC: Flickr
Attached Images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
When it comes to architecture and urban renewal Dave Peterson’s interest is definitely sparked. He gets involved in construction projects wherever possible and you’ll often see him getting on a pair of safety boots to help out wherever possible, before commentating on the initiative for various publications.
