OLYMPIC PARK

OLYMPIC PARK

I took the opportunity to visit the uncompleted Olympic site while I was in England, on January 4, 2012.

At least, I got a 'feel' how the London's Olympic Park looks like!

In order to arrive to the Olympic site, one must take an MRT route which serve Stratford Station – the nearest station to the Olympic Park.

Visitors are allowed to walk around the Olympic Park, even though it is not completed as yet.

OLYMPIC PARK

The Olympic Park was only open on July 27, 2012 – as London hosts its XXX Olympic Games, here.

Over the 60 days of the 2012 Olympic of Paralympic Games around 15,000 athletes and millions of people will gather here to enjoy the sporting and cultural action.

After the Games, a new sustainable community will be integrated with the area surrounding the Olympic Park, with local people benefiting from a new park, new homes and world-class sporting facilities.

The site of the Olympic Park is located in the Lower Lea Valley – is 2.5 sq km- the same area as 357 football pitches.

For the past 400 years, much of the area was used for industry, from textile printing in the 17^th century to petrol factories in the 18^th century. Bone, soap and tallow works, along with distilleries, engineering and chemical plants, have all been located in the area.

Since the 19^th century, around half of the site has been used for landfill including a 100-year-old tip on the site of the Velodrome. About 75% of the land had some form of contamination, such as petrol, oil, tar and heavy metals, like arsenic. The waterways that criss-cross the Park suffered from years of neglect and the skyline was dominated by the pylons that carried powerlines across the area.

STRATFORD SHOPPING MALL

In the months up to the Beijing 2008 Games the Olympic Delivery Authority focused on clearing the land, demolishing the hundreds of buildings across the site and moving the powerlines from the overhead pylons into tunnels that run underneath the site. At the same time, designing the sporting venues that will host the Games.

The majority of the Olympic Park was cleared and cleaned by Summer 2008, when construction work began in earnest. The construction is nearing completion to all the main sporting venues on the Park, new infrastructure, utilities, and transport links in and around the Park. The parklands are also taking shape – with around 50,000 plants and more than 1,000 trees already planted. Construction of the first sporting venue on the Park – the Velodrome was finished in February 2011, followed with other main venues – the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre, Athletes' Village, Basketball Arena and Handball Arena – are completed by Summer 2011. Outside the Park, construction of the Lea Valley White Water Centre, which host the Canoe Slalom competitions, was completed in December 2010.

What are the things found in the Olympic Park? Eton Manor, Hockey Centre, Press Centre, Basketball Arena, Handball Arena, Aquatics Centre, BMX Circuit, Velodrome, Athletes' Village and the Olympic Stadium

In the past, this area had its own residents before the Romans even reached our shore. Remnants of a Bronze Age settlement including skeletons – at least 2000 years old – were found when digging began on the tunnels, for the underground powerlines and evidence of an Iron Age Settlement has been unearthed on the site of the Aquatics Centre. Archaeologist have also discovered helmets and a military base where anti-aircraft guns were used by soldiers and volunteers to protect London during World War II. A Roman con was found on the site of the Olympic Stadium.

Before leaving for home, visitors (including me) can just walk across to the Stratford Shopping Mall, located nearby the Olympic Park.

Definitely, I hope to visit the Olympic Stadium again – this time it would be completed.

JANUARY 4, 2012