London 2012 Olympics http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum en Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:51:44 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/aria/misc/rss.jpg London 2012 Olympics http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum London 2012 will be the ‘Regeneration Games’ says Armitt http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13016&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:02:36 GMT *The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be remembered as the ‘Regeneration Games’, delivering transformational change to east London, Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) Chairman John Armitt told a conference of business leaders last night.* The scale of work going on to create the Olympic... The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be remembered as the ‘Regeneration Games’, delivering transformational change to east London, Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) Chairman John Armitt told a conference of business leaders last night.

The scale of work going on to create the Olympic Park will transform the area for good and leave a lasting legacy of new world-class sports venues, thousands of new homes, new transport links, new energy networks and a brand new urban park.

The ODA has published a new brochure setting out the wide range of work they are delivering as part of their work on legacy.

The first phase of legacy, led by the ODA, is focused on the creation of the Olympic Park and the delivery of the venues, new infrastructure and transport improvements for the community that will work and play in the area after 2012. The second, led by the London Development Agency working with the ODA and legacy partners, is focused on the development of the park after the Games, the future use of the venues and the wider economic and social regeneration of the area.

Speaking at the London First conference last night, ODA Chairman John Armitt said: 'London 2012 truly will be remembered as the ‘Regeneration Games’ due to the scale of change that is being delivered.

'75 pence of every pound we are spending is an investment in the long-term transformation of the area. As well as brand new world-class sports venues, we are delivering new open space, new energy networks, cleaning miles of waterway and building new roads and bridges, creating new transport links, thousands of new homes and education and healthcare facilities.

'Transformational change on this scale does not happen often and the Games offer a unique opportunity to regenerate one of the most underdeveloped areas in the UK.

'The Games are also a shot in the arm for the UK economy at this difficult time, offering jobs on the Olympic Park for the previously unemployed and millions of pounds worth of contracts for UK businesses.'

The long-term benefits of the London 2012 Games will include:
  • New parklands – 100 hectares of public open space including 45 hectares of new habitats for wildlife
  • Energy systems – an Energy Centre and primary substation to provide efficient power, heating and cooling systems for local communities
  • Powerline tunnels – new tunnels built to carry power and 52 overhead pylons dismantled
  • Stratford City infrastructure – new utilities, bridges and infrastructure for the new retail, leisure and office development
  • Waterways – revitalised waterways with new river walls
  • Olympic Village – around 3,000 high-quality homes, including affordable housing, new public spaces, parks and community facilities
  • Utilities – a new utilities network for gas, electricity, water and telecommunications for the local communities
  • Sporting venues – world-class sporting venues with facilities for elite athletes and local communities use
  • Sewer systems – new pumping station and sewer tunnels for the future residential developments
  • Bridges – more than 30 new bridges, many pedestrian, to help connect the Park to the surrounding area
  • Clean landscape – contaminated soil tested, excavated, cleaned and re-used to create a new landscape
  • Transport – long-term improvements to the Underground, rail and DLR and an improved walking and cycling network

The leaflet can be accessed here: http://www.london2012.com/documents/...oda-legacy.pdf

Notes to editors:

There are currently almost 3,000 workers on the Olympic Park site

95 per cent of workers on the site are paid the at least the London Living Wage. Last week the ODA was awarded an Employer award by The East London Citizens Organisation (TELCO) in recognition of achieving this level.

– Ends –

For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700 or visit the website at www.london2012.com.

The construction of the venues and infrastructure of the London 2012 Games is funded by the National Lottery through the Olympic Lottery Distributor, The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency.

Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog.


Source
www.london2012.com ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13016 London 2012 Publish Sustainable Sourcing Code http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13015&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:52:33 GMT *The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today took another significant step in its ambition to ensure the Games are staged in a truly sustainable way by publishing the first online edition of its Sustainable Sourcing Code.* Predominantly aimed at internal... The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today took another significant step in its ambition to ensure the Games are staged in a truly sustainable way by publishing the first online edition of its Sustainable Sourcing Code.

Predominantly aimed at internal buyers, suppliers (both current and prospective) and licensees, the code will enable the organisation to make informed decisions with regards to environmental, social and ethical issues, when procuring the products and services needed for the Games and meet the ambitions laid out in the wider London 2012 Sustainability Plan, launched last year.

Download the Sustainable Sourcing Code.

The code will require LOCOG and its suppliers to identify, source and use environmentally sound and socially responsible practices based around four basic principles:
  • Responsible Sourcing – ensuring goods and services are sourced and produced under a set of internationally acceptable environmental, social and ethical guidelines and standards;
  • Use of Secondary Materials – maximising the use of materials with recycled content, minimising packaging and designing products that can either be reused or recycled;
  • Minimising Embodied Impacts – maximising resource and energy efficiency in the manufacturing and supply process in order to minimise environmental impacts;
  • Healthy Materials – ensuring non-polluting / non-toxic materials and substances are used.
Put simply, LOCOG’s approach to sourcing sustainable products can be based on the following five key questions:

1. Where does it come from?
2. Who made it?
3. What is it made of?
4. What is it wrapped in?
5. What will happen to it after the Games?

When sourcing services which involve labour, the code refers to the Ethical Trading Initiative’s (ETI) Base Code as a guide to the required standard that suppliers should be working towards.

With procurement building over the next few years, it is anticipated that LOCOG alone will generate around 5000 direct business opportunities, creating approximately 25,000 supply chain opportunities. The peak of this activity will occur between 2010 and 2012 necessitating thousands of individual purchases from a wide range of suppliers and licensees in a relatively short period of time. With this in mind, certain key areas will be prioritised initially for the full application of the code.

London 2012 CEO, Paul Deighton commented: 'London 2012 represents a fantastic opportunity to deliver a world class sporting event, but in a sustainable way. Our ambition is to set new sustainability benchmarks for the way large-scale events are staged, the Sustainable Sourcing Code is a key part of this. One of the most important aspects of this for me is that we are able to develop this as we progress – this is just the first edition. As we move forward, learn more and gather feedback from others, we can ensure we stay current in this area and indeed across all of our sustainability themes.'

Fairtrade Foundation Executive Director, Harriet Lamb commented: 'The Fairtrade Foundation welcomes LOCOG’s Sustainable Sourcing Code and its provision for Fairtrade products. We are delighted that LOCOG, at this early stage, has made clear its position on the importance of securing products which have been sourced sustainably, including those independently certified to international Fairtrade standards. This sends a clear signal to all companies supplying Fairtrade products that the race is on to get involved with London 2012. How great if one of the legacies were to be that London, which recently became the world’s largest Fairtrade city, could enable many more producers in developing countries to sell their products under Fairtrade terms.'

Waste & Resources Action Programme Director of Market Development, Marcus Gover commented: 'WRAP welcomes LOCOG's commitment to staging a zero waste to landfill Games. The Sustainable Sourcing Code sets out how suppliers will help deliver this by maximising the use of materials with recycled content, minimising packaging and designing products that can be reused or recycled.'

Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, Tom Delay commented: 'It’s essential that environmental sustainability is at the heart of London 2012, and the Carbon Trust welcomes this latest initiative. Suppliers have a vital role in delivering a low carbon Games: the associated guidelines on carbon emissions of products and services will be an important help in this respect. Those leading companies that are already using the Carbon Trust Standard to demonstrate action on climate change and the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction Label to measure and communicate product carbon footprints will be well placed to help London 2012 reduce the carbon footprint across its supply chain.'


– Ends –


For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100

Notes to editors

The London 2012 Sustainability Plan, published in November 2007, outlined London 2012’s commitment to ensuring that the 2012 Games are managed in a way that remains economically viable but is also environmentally sound, socially responsible and ethical. Suppliers and licensees to LOCOG have a key role to play in helping to deliver a sustainable Games; hence, the Sustainable Sourcing Code is needed to outline expectations of prospective suppliers and licensees and describe how they can meet our sustainability requirements.

It is not intended to be prescriptive; it sets a framework to enable LOCOG to consider the relevant issues and make informed choices. It will be used to develop detailed functional and operational specific procurement strategies (e.g. catering, transport, etc) and further requirements may well be introduced together with more explicit performance measures relating to what is being procured (e.g. food or vehicles). This will be articulated at the tender stage.

The Sustainable Sourcing Code has been developed over a period of 18 months following discussions with the International Olympic Committee, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Olympic Delivery Authority, our Key Stakeholders including the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, leading retailers and brands in the sustainable procurement field, sponsors, industry experts and the third sector, including the Trades Union Congress, Playfair Alliance, the Ethical Trading Initiative, WWF, Fairtrade Foundation and UNICEF. LOCOG has taken the opportunity to learn from the experience of others in this field.

The Sustainable Sourcing Code is already in active use by specifiers and buyers within LOCOG and has been trialled in some significant deals.

This is the first edition of the Sustainable Sourcing Code. As LOCOG’s procurement programme evolves, it will continually review how the Code is performing in practice and will release updated editions of the Code as and when appropriate.


Source
www.london2012.com ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13015 <![CDATA[Sustainable Sourcing Code continues commitment to 'green' 2012 Games]]> http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13014&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:41:30 GMT The London 2012 Organising Committee today published the first edition of an online 'Sustainable Sourcing Code', continuing its commitment to making sure the 2012 Games are as 'green' as possible.

The code will ensure LOCOG fully considers the environmental, social and ethical issues of products and services used for the Games.

Primarily aimed at internal buyers, suppliers and licencees, it fits with the London 2012 Sustainability Plan and is based around key principles including 'responsible sourcing'; and minimising the environmental impacts during the manufacturing process.

Potential products will be assessed based on where they come from, who made them, what they're made of, what they are wrapped in and what will happen to them after the Games.

The code was developed over a period of 18 months in consultation with leading retailers and brands in the sustainable procurement field, sponsors, industry experts and the third sector, including the Trades Union Congress, Playfair Alliance, the Ethical Trading Initiative, WWF, Fairtrade Foundation and UNICEF. It will be reviewed and updated as necessary over time.

It is estimated LOCOG will generate around 5,000 direct business opportunities, with a total of around 25,000 opportunities through the supply chain. Most will take place between 2010-2012.

London 2012 Chief Executive Paul Deighton said: 'London 2012 represents a fantastic opportunity to deliver a world class sporting event, but in a sustainable way.

'Our ambition is to set new sustainability benchmarks for the way large-scale events are staged, the Sustainable Sourcing Code is a key part of this. One of the most important aspects of this for me is that we are able to develop this as we progress – this is just the first edition. As we move forward, learn more and gather feedback from others, we can ensure we stay current in this area and indeed across all of our sustainability themes.'

Read the full media release


Source
www.london2012.com

Image: Using products that can be recycled is one of the elements that will create a sustainable Games.
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]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13014 Financial crisis ensures London 2012 facing chilly review http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13013&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:59:56 GMT *The London Olympic board will meet on Wednesday for their monthly wrangle with the challenges of delivering a world-class Games in a global recession, knowing that scrutiny of the cost-cutting measures with which they are presently grappling is set to intensify.* By Paul Kelso Next week the... The London Olympic board will meet on Wednesday for their monthly wrangle with the challenges of delivering a world-class Games in a global recession, knowing that scrutiny of the cost-cutting measures with which they are presently grappling is set to intensify. By Paul Kelso

Next week the Olympic circus pitches camp in the capital for a four-day conference attended by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge and 400 other delegates gathered to distil the lessons of the Beijing Games for future host cities. For London the most significant event comes last, a one-day review by senior IOC executives of the city's progress. It promises to be a chastening affair, with cold economic realities dominating the agenda.

Politically and practically, the ground has shifted since the IOC inspectors were last in town in June, a visit that concluded with Denis Oswald, chairman of the co-ordination commission, cheerily awarding the capital "9.75 out of 10".

In the interim, London has been hit hard by the banking crisis. The deep-freeze afflicting the financial markets has been disastrous for London's plans for a privately financed Olympic village and media centre. It now seems likely that most of the £1 billion emergency contingency will be required to bail out the projects. The contingency had been ear-marked to cover increases in security costs and should it be wiped out to cover construction, Tessa Jowell's promise that the £9.3 billion budget will not be exceeded could be in danger.

Against that background, the project has been scoured for potential cuts, but as the board will acknowledge today the prospects for major savings are limited.

The lead item on the agenda is the future of four temporary venues for shooting, basketball, equestrianism and a mixed-use arena at North Greenwich, that have been the subject of a review by consultants KPMG.

Inside Sport understands that the board are likely to conclude that there is no saving to be made in relocating the equestrian events away from Greenwich Park and that they have no choice but to continue with the £60 million basketball arena despite reservations over spending so much on a venue that will be torn down afterwards.

The fate of the shooting venue at Woolwich is less certain, and serious consideration is being given to abandoning the North Greenwich venue and moving its major sport, badminton, to Wembley Arena. That would deliver a saving of £40 million but bring with it major challenges, not least in transporting athletes from the Olympic village in Stratford to west London.

The chill wind blowing from the City has also been brought a cooling of relations between the Government and organising committee, chaired by Lord Coe, and the mayor's office.

Boris Johnson charmed the IOC on their last visit but the warmth of his welcome only went so far. Behind the scenes Johnson and his key advisers have been attempting to slash costs from the project with a view to ensuring that whatever is built for the Games will not be a drag on London council taxpayers after 2012.

Once again options are limited. London is committed to downsizing capacity from 85,000 to 25,000 after the Games to deliver on Coe's pledge to ensure a track and field legacy for the capital. Good faith will not pay for the upkeep of the arena however, and with sightlines at the stadium making it unattractive to rugby and football clubs, the prospect of public subsidy looms.

For the IOC questions of cost and legacy are parochial concerns, as Rogge indicated this month when he made it clear he did not mind what happened to the stadium as long as it was not transformed into a white elephant.

Maintaining the perception that the Olympics remains an affordable international bonanza for the host city is central to the health of the franchise, and on the available evidence it is working.


Source
By Paul Kelso
www.telegraph.co.uk ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13013 <![CDATA[London's O2 Arena considered as an athletics venue for 2012 Olympics]]> http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13012&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:59:25 GMT The search for innovative ways to present the sport to a younger audience could see athletics join the likes of Coldplay, Paul Weller and Stevie Wonder in being staged in London's O2 Arena. By Tom Knight

The venue on the River Thames at Greenwich, which was formerly known as The Millennium Dome, will stage gymnastics and the basketball finals at London 2012 and is already used to hosting world championship boxing.

The O2 Arena, one of Europe's premier concert venues, is adaptable enough for Phil Beard, the chairman of sport for the owners, AEG Europe, to consider the possibility of cricket, rugby and even swimming to join athletics in moving indoors.

Ed Warner, the chairman of UK Athletics, claims the time could be right for looking at new ways to present running, jumping and throwing without the necessity of having a 200m track, the type used for conventional indoor athletics.

He said: "We are working on innovative ways to use a variety of venues for athletics in order to present the sport in a different way and bring it up to date for a younger audience."

Warner, who has also floated the idea of staging 100m sprints on The Mall, stressed that any event at the O2 Arena would have to be relevant to an evermore critical audience.

He added: "People are getting choosier about what they watch and have to believe that what they are seeing is important. That is true for all sports."

Warner and Beard are still discussing ideas and any move to take athletics into the O2 Arena would not be confined to the winter months.

It is not a new idea, however. Donovan Bailey raced Michael Johnson over a specially constructed 150m track in Toronto's Skydome in June 1997.

When Bailey ran out an easy winner after Johnson pulled up with a thigh injury, there were questions over whether the much-hyped showdown had won or lost fans to the sport.

Meanwhile, Dwain Chambers has ruled out any further challenges to the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban.

The disgraced sprinter tried and failed in the High Court last summer to overturn the ban imposed following his doping conviction.

Chambers said: "I don't want to put myself through it and I don't want to put the sport through it all over again.

"I tried my luck but it didn't work so I think it's best to move on, let the past be the past and make the next three years the best I can make.

"I just want to focus on the world championships next year and maybe then we can start looking ahead."


Source
By Tom Knight
www.telegraph.co.uk ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13012 Savile Row Company http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13011&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:48:02 GMT The Savile Row Company, established since 1938, offers a 'Made to Measure' service. Located in the world famous Savile Row, in the heart of London's West End, has a reputation for exceptional quality suits, shirts, ties and cufflinks as well as unrivalled customer service.

Every customer is treated individually and the experience is always a pleasurable one.

Based in the heartland of English fine tailoring, the Savile Row Company has provided luxury clothing at affordable prices for over 70 years. Classic and contemporary, formal and casual, for men and for women – it’s a one-stop wardrobe shop.

The Savile Row Company have taken all their 'made to measure' expertise and translated it into creating a fabulous 'ready to wear' collection. The entire range is impeccably tailored and crafted to the highest standards

For those of you shopping in London ahead of the 2012 games, the flagship store for the Savile Row Company is located at:

40 Savile Row
London
W1S 3QG

Click here for a map

Tel: 0207 287 6740
Fax: 0207 287 3669

The Savile Row Company been online since 2000 and recently completed an entire new site launch - making shopping at the Savile Row Company easier and quicker than ever.

Click here to visit the Savile Row website


Please find enclosed below a map of the location of the flagship store.
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]]> Shopping in London richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13011 Boris pledges 6,000 hire bikes for London by 2010 http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13010&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:59:41 GMT *PLANS for 6,000 hire bikes to be available in London by May 2010 were given the go-ahead.* By Katharine Barney A feasibility study conducted by Transport for London said the bikes would be located at 400 locations throughout Zone 1. This would cover nine boroughs as well as several royal... PLANS for 6,000 hire bikes to be available in London by May 2010 were given the go-ahead. By Katharine Barney

A feasibility study conducted by Transport for London said the bikes would be located at 400 locations throughout Zone 1.

This would cover nine boroughs as well as several royal parks.

If successful, additional bikes could be introduced on top of the initial 6,000 which are expected to generate around 40,000 extra cycle trips a day.

Mayor Boris Johnson said: "When Londoners elected me they knew they were getting a champion of cycling and someone that would be a peddler of pedal power.

"I have long held the view that a cyclised city is a civilised city; but if we are to get more Londoners onto two wheels rather than four we need to provide the facilities to help them do so. I hope a central London cycle hire scheme will inspire Londoners as a whole, and not just the adventurous few, to get on their bikes and give cycling a go. I believe that the work we are carrying out can make the capital a city of cyclists, where to use two wheels is common not curious."

The scheme is inspired by the successful "vélib" programme in Paris.

Mr Johnson also wants to create 12 major cycle routes into central London and to convert part of the Victoria Embankment into a cycle lane.

The bikes will be kept at "docking" stations and the design is expected to deter thieves. Renters will have to pay a deposit when they take the bikes and there is expected to be an annual fee for registration.

However, there could also be a free rental period. Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor's director of transport policy, said: "The release of the feasibility study and the call for companies to tender to provide a cycle hire scheme are further steps towards providing the most sustainable, healthy and environmentally-friendly transport system ever seen in the capital.

"We are working incredibly hard to ensure London will be in a position to hit the target of a 400 per cent increase in cycle journeys in London by 2025."

The study also called for cycle training, the conversion of one-way streets into two-way ones for cyclists and 20mph zones.

The cycle hire scheme will be based in Camden, Hackney, Lambeth, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Westminster, and the City.

Transport for London has invited companies interested in running the scheme to contact them at www.tfl.bravosolution.com


Source
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard
www.thisislondon.co.uk

Image: The London rental scheme, which aims to cover nine boroughs, is inspired by the vélib programme in Paris
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]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13010 £10m clinic for Newham shelved until after 2012 Games http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13009&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:54:09 GMT *PLANS for a £10million community health centre to be built as part of the Olympic village have been shelved due to the credit crunch, the Standard has learned.* Matthew Beard A super-surgery, or polyclinic, to serve the increasing population of Newham will not be built until after the Games. The... PLANS for a £10million community health centre to be built as part of the Olympic village have been shelved due to the credit crunch, the Standard has learned. Matthew Beard

A super-surgery, or polyclinic, to serve the increasing population of Newham will not be built until after the Games.

The clinic has become the latest casualty of the funding crisis to hit the Olympic village. Australian developer Lend Lease has struggled to raise its share of the original £1billion cost of the project.

This has also seen the Olympic Delivery Authority slash one third of the planned apartments.

It said the long-term developer of the village would have a legal obligation under the "section 106" planning requirement to build the health centre at a minimum size of 2,800 square metres.

An ODA spokesperson said: "There remains a commitment to provide permanent healthcare facilities."

A spokeswoman for Newham PCT said they were "disappointed".


Source
By Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent
www.thisislondon.co.uk ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13009 <![CDATA[Fears over legacy in the 'forgotten Olympic borough']]> http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13008&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:46:25 GMT HACKNEY has become the "forgotten Olympic borough", with a promised legacy of 8,000 skilled jobs falling victim to the recession, local politicians claimed. By Matthew Beard

They spoke out over the likely demise of the £380 million plan to house creative industries on the site of the Olympic media centre.

Most of the media facilities are expected to be temporary after private funding for a permanent development dried up during the credit crunch.

Local politicians say that without the media centre, Hackney will be the poor relation of the other four Olympic boroughs - Newham, Tower Hamlets, Greenwich and Waltham Forest.

They warn that it will enjoy few economic benefits but still suffer noise and pollution. Residents of Leabank Square in Hackney Wick have already written to International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge to complain about the disruption during building work.

Assembly member Andrew Boff, the Conservative Olympics spokesman, said: "It's the borough that the Olympics forgot. Hackney residents are going to have to pay a price for the Games both environmentally and through their pockets. Newham is obviously going to get some regeneration benefits."

Mr Boff, who was defeated in the race to be Hackney mayor by Labour's Jules Pipe, added: "Originally, all sorts of promises were made and permission given on the basis of the Olympics coming to London. Now that supposed legacy is not going to be inherited. It looks as if people are just going to have to pay more bills. The awful thing about [the Games] is the lack of thought about the legacy - it was sold to Londoners on the basis of certain legacies and these seem to be receding.

"People are starting to ask questions because the Games were sold to them on the promise of the media centre. I would say the mood now is cynical."

The Olympic Park will be on Hackney's doorstep and the handball arena, which will become a multi-sports facility, is within its borders.

But critics say these legacies alone will not deliver the promised 8,000 high-quality jobs. Meg Hillier, Labour MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch, said: "We're not so worried about not having the stadium. We want the legacy, not the glory."

Mr Pipe was a 2012 enthusiast and convinced residents of the employment benefits from the media centre, which was originally to have been the size of Canada Tower in Canary Wharf. He wants a blue-chip anchor tenant for the site but so far talks with 30 companies have failed to produce results.

Hackney council said: "We are continuing to fight for permanent buildings for our legacy vision of a digital village that will allow for the growth of Hackney's expanding creative industries."


Source
By Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent
www.thisislondon.co.uk ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13008 Rising cycling star believes Aussies headed back to top http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13007&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:38:56 GMT *Rising star Cameron Meyer believes he can become a world champion within months and help Australia regain its status as track cycling’s No.1 nation.* The 20-year-old from Perth was a rare shining light in a disappointing Beijing Olympics campaign for the Australian track team. Australia brought... Rising star Cameron Meyer believes he can become a world champion within months and help Australia regain its status as track cycling’s No.1 nation.

The 20-year-old from Perth was a rare shining light in a disappointing Beijing Olympics campaign for the Australian track team.

Australia brought home just one silver medal, down from five golds in Athens four years earlier, as Britain took over as the sport’s dominant force.

But Meyer’s fourth placing in the points race stamped him as a serious emerging talent and he believes there are plenty of other well-credentialled youngsters.

“The way we’re going at the junior world championships, we’ve got a lot of young talent coming through,” Meyer said on Wednesday.

“The (London) Olympics is four years away so we’ve got a lot of growing to do as a team and as a nation, but I think we’ve got the riders to grab that No.1 spot back.”

Meyer is aiming to make his own rise to the top at the world championships in Poland next March.

“I’ve been so close, I’ve won world cups, so I know what it’s like to win at that sort of level,” he said.

“Hopefully next year’s my year to take that extra step.”

He will continue his preparations at a world cup meet in Melbourne which runs from Thursday to Saturday, with the points race on Thursday night.

Meyer, who booked a world championships berth with his win at last week’s Oceania championships, will use the Melbourne event to experiment with technique and tactics.

“We’re going to try a few different things now that it’s early on in the season at the world cups, hopefully by the world championships I’m ready to go,” he said.

Britain dominated the first of this season’s world cup meets, in Manchester early this month, taking gold in 14 of 17 events, but are sending a much weaker team to Melbourne.

Australia’s team also has a new look as they rebuild after Beijing, although 26-year-old Kerrie Meares has been given a chance to continue her career rebound.

Meares won gold in both the sprint and 500m time trial at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, but after a back injury the following year has struggled to recapture those heights.

But reuniting with her former coach Peter Day in December last year has boosted her progress.

“I have been able to improve my 200m time by nearly half a second, so it’s pretty significant, I’m really happy with that change,” Meares said.

She said the Melbourne event would help her gauge her improved form against top international competitors.


Source
MELBOURNE
AAP ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13007 Kate McIlroy could head to London Olympics http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13006&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:35:37 GMT World champion mountain runner and commonwealth games athlete Kate McIlroy is considering switching tracks.

The 27-year-old missed out on selection for this year's Beijing Olympics due to injury and thinks that cycling could be her ticket to London 2012.

The former world mountain running champ is one of 20 top athletes from around the country trialling out for a spot in the national women's track cycling team.

"The opportunity was presented to me so I thought 'my running has been up and down with injuries, I may as well give it a go,'" McIlroy said.

After the success of former netball representative Alison Shanks at the Beijing Olympics, Bike NZ decided it needed to look outside the Velodrome for London.

"Ideally we want to find someone else for London to win two medals in the one event," Andy Reid from Bike NZ said.

Having missed out on selection for Beijing because of injury, McIlroy hopes cycling could be her next shot at an Olympic dream.

"It felt good for the first three-quarters of it, then it suddenly felt like I hit a big wall," she recalls. "My legs didn't want to keep turning. But yeah, it was good."

Bike NZ expect to know the results of the testing next week. The top five will then head to a training camp in Invercargill.


Source
www.3news.co.nz ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13006 <![CDATA['Poor sports' hit by recession]]> http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13005&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:31:58 GMT Looming recession and the meltdown in the money markets has widened the gap between the world's richest and poorest sports, according to new research released.

Despite the success of British golden girl Rebecca Adlington, whose two titles at the Beijing Olympics helped boost swimming's profile, the sport remains one of the most vulnerable in the UK due to the downturn.

Other British sports which may also be struggling for the big money pay-outs linked to television revenues, sponsorship, gate receipts and merchandising include darts, winter sports, bowls, hockey and badminton.

Britain, aided by Lewis Hamilton as Formula One's new world champion, counts motor sport, top level football, rugby union, cricket, golf and athletics as its most recession-resistant sports.

The findings are from a study by Professor Simon Chadwick who is founder and director of Coventry University's Centre for the International Business of Sport and also a director of the University of London's Birkbeck Sport Business Centre.

The changing economic climate, television revenues, ticket sales, previous events, consumer spending and unemployment were among the data reviewed in the research commissioned by Weber Shandwick Sport, a new international dedicated sports public relations agency.

Professor Chadwick said: "What we are seeing is that size does matter in sport. The sports suffering the most from the downturn receive little mass-media coverage and therefore have limited appeal to sponsors and other commercial partners. Where crowd sizes are already low, the credit squeeze is placing even more pressure on the smaller professional clubs and sports and that means they need to do more than ever before to survive or prosper."

He argues that Adlington's success along with other British stars of Beijing may have helped participation levels but not necessarily spectator numbers.

Prof Chadwick said: "Rebecca Adlington is significant but she cannot do it on her own. No one knows how long it will be but the length of the downturn may also make a difference. She is a very successful brand ambassador. She has broken the world record. People will want to associate with her but but she can not do it on her own. There needs to be other swimmers who are successful. Other people need to follow her and that is an issue for managers."

Falling ticket sales in the face of possible rising unemployment may be a problem that organisers have to confront in the future, and Prof Chadwick added: "In some ways, the downturn is not just a challenge, but also an opportunity for the smartest sports, teams, companies and investors. It is forcing us to examine how things can be better run, better managed and better organised, for a brighter future for sport."


Source
The Press Association ]]> richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13005 Britain battles to keep 2012 generation at home http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13004&goto=newpost Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:29:42 GMT Great Britain's success in pool and lake at the Olympic Games in Beijing in August has sparked an aggressive recruitment of the London 2012 generation by American colleges at a time when five intensive training centres have opened in the UK with the purpose of nurturing home-grown talent. By Craig Lord

Two of the first to be lost, to Auburn University in Alabama, are Adam Brown, the Olympic sprinter, and Chris Fox, one of his team-mates during his schooldays at Britain's offshore centre on the Australian Gold Coast. Signing up to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) programme in the United States means that the pair cannot accept funding from the National Lottery; amateur rules dictate that only college support is allowable and that is set at a relatively low level.

Dennis Pursley, Britain's new head coach, said: “Ironically, because of the success of Britain in Beijing, we have a situation where US college coaches are keen to recruit some of the kids just at a time when we have good reason to keep them home.”

Since arriving in Britain last month the American had been on a whirlwind tour of the five new intensive training centres in Loughborough, Bath, Stockport, Stirling and Swansea. This week the last few coaching appointments will be made. “I'm favourably impressed with what I've seen,” Pursley said. “Bill Sweetenham [the former performance director] has to take a lot of the credit for what has been set up and Michael [Scott] has taken that forward.”

Scott, the Britain performance director, said: “Having closed down the offshore centre, we're looking to build our home programme. There's no funding for the NCAA-based people and their focus is on 25-yard swimming. Our focus is on 50 metres racing and there's a college programme directly attached to four of the five centres.”

Pursley and Scott are finalising a four-year plan designed not only to deliver success at London 2012 but to provide Britain with a springboard for sustained success in the Olympic cycle after a home Games. At the World Cup in Berlin at the weekend, the London 2012 generation drew attention to itself with 14 places in finals and a rush of personal best times.


Source
By Craig Lord
www.timesonline.co.uk ]]> Athletes preparing for the 2012 London Olympics richard http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13004 The introduction of Beijing Accommodation http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13003&goto=newpost Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:05:50 GMT Many brand-new star hotels, hostels, service apartment and apartment hotel appeared over the past year to meet the need of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Game. Data shows that the star hotels was increased from 700 to 818 from the end of the year 2006 to July 2008, and the hotel rooms were... Many brand-new star hotels, hostels, service apartment and apartment hotel appeared over the past year to meet the need of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Game. Data shows that the star hotels was increased from 700 to 818 from the end of the year 2006 to July 2008, and the hotel rooms were increased more than ten thousand in Beijing. As for the hostels, was increased from 4023 to 4978 from the end of the year 2006 to July 2008, and the hostel rooms were increased more than 52 thousand in Beijing. All the world-renowned hotel brands have a place in Beijing currently. In the meantime, the service apartment and apartment hotel appeared in Beijing accommodation market and in the ever-increasing.

Base on the marketing research，the plenty accommodation and various forms provide enough options to the overseas guests for their Beijing stay, but the most popular are the service apartment and the apartment hotel.

Serviced apartment & Apartment Hotel is more spacious allowing guest to literally spread themselves all over the place. The second most important difference between a Serviced Apartment & Apartment Hotel and the hotel is that guest can cook their own food in a serviced apartment whenever you choose to do so. This major advantage is specially a plus for those guests who have special dietary needs as well as those who have very small children. And the price advantage can not be ignored, compare the similar level Serviced Apartment & Apartment Hotel with hotel, the price is low 30-50%.

Most of the developers and owners of the service apartment or apartment hotel, they develop the building property at the commercial or other good location in the City and set with high quality furniture. The service apartment and apartment hotel are all in different style but most are western characteristics mixed with Chinese flavor to meet the overseas guests’ comfortable and neat stay need. Let’s have a look of the below examples.

All the service apartments provide internet connectivity. Kitchens are equipped with cooking utensils and you never have to bring linen or towels to a serviced apartment.
Normally, apartment Hotel belongs to and is located in 4-5 star hotels. Apartment hotel is not only with all the advantage of the service apartment but also provided the hotel service and can use all its facilities.

The Cosmopolite service apartment was located at the east 2nd and 3rd ring road in Beijing. Its location is good fore it is quite close to the subway. The service apartment was decorated and set in a very lovely and trends appearance. Here should be a nice choice if guests who like the fashion and modern stay.
http://www.focusapartment.com/view1.asp?area=2&id=596

The Pingod service apartment is a 90% brand-new building in a high-quality community. The community is safe enough and the residents are all with high quality and good manners. And its location is at the city center which is easily to anywhere of the city. As for the apartment indoor appearance, as same as it show on pics, clean, spacious, nice decoration and facilities.
http://www.focusapartment.com/view1.asp?area=2&id=610

The Heqiao Lizhi service apartment is located at the CBD center which is quite popular location for the foreigners stay and the multinational company set up office. Here is most of the international business travelers’ ideal location. Also its spacious room and the deluxe indoor facilities will make guest stay a home away from home.
The above examples have a little bit different characteristic in the location and indoor decoration style but all same at spacious, clean, good quality indoor facilities and self- catering advantage.
http://www.easyaccommodationbeijing....p?area=0&id=55

In a word, Serviced apartment & Apartment Hotel is accepted and welcomed by more and more travelers and it is definitely a strong competitor to hotel. ]]> grace1218 http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13003 Beijing Easy Accommodation http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13002&goto=newpost Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:01:58 GMT http://www.focusapartment.com/ ) is one of the pioneers in the segment for focus on offering the finest service apartments on-line booking in China. We offer safe, secure and comfortable...]]> Beijing Easy Accommodation ( http://www.focusapartment.com/
) is one of the pioneers in the segment for focus on offering the finest service apartments on-line booking in China. We offer safe, secure and comfortable service apartments in Beijing, Shanghai and Xi’an, be it for work or for pleasure.
Service apartments are fast emerging as preferred choices of short or long-stay company executives, company employees, and diplomats relocating to other countries, travelers who have special dietary needs as well as those who have very small children. Service apartment offers all the conveniences of a hotel with the privacy and warmth of home. Whether you are a business traveler or holiday maker looking for more than just a regular hotel room, service apartment is the answer. Giving you more space, more privacy and at a cheaper rate, most of our Apartments are available from one night to one year.
Fully furnished and serviced apartments with facilities like, Air – condition, Internet access, TV, Fully equipped kitchen, 24hrs running hot water, Laundry services, 24hrs Reception etc.
Beijing Easy Accommodation offers the service apartment on-line booking, also has the option of private apartment and apartment hotel. The three accommodation forms are same in their characteristics of self-catering and residential-style but a little bit difference in the amenities. Service apartment set with hotel-like amenities, Apartment hotel set with as exactly same as the hotel amenities, and the private apartment doesn’t offer any hotel-like amenities.
Service apartments are considered to be an alternative for an expensive hotel stay. Beijing Easy Accommodation on-line booking makes sure that you get all the facilities at worthy price. Our service Apartments are all with the good location in Beijing and Shanghai. Whether you are looking for short stay or long stay, you get better rates and more comfortable compared to any other same level hotel.
More info at http://www.easyaccommodationbeijing.c om/search.asp
http://www.focusapartment.com/ ]]> grace1218 http://www.the2012londonolympics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13002