The Queen visits Olympic Park and plants the first London 2012 tree

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Her Majesty The Queen has today visited the Olympic Park to see the progress being made to create the venues and infrastructure needed for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and has helped plant the first of over 4,000 trees that will create the parklands.

After viewing the Olympic Stadium from a platform at the level of the highest spectators’ seat, Her Majesty then walked along a section of the 100 metre track and across what will become the finish line. Watched by a group of construction workers from across the Olympic Park site, Her Majesty then planted the first tree on the Olympic Park next to the waterways adjacent to the Stadium.

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: 'It is an honour to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to the Olympic Park site today and show her the progress that is being made across the site. We now have around 7,000 people working to create the venues that are already landmarks on the east London skyline and thousands of British companies working on one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe.

'Her Majesty was able to view the Olympic Stadium’s completed external structure and the work that has started on the roof lift of this flagship venue. Planting the tree today is the first step in the creation of a new green space that will reflect the traditions of great British parks and will create a fantastic backdrop for the Games and the heart of the new community in the area post-2012.'

London Organising Committee of the Olympic 'and Paralympic Games Chair' Sebastian Coe said: 'The Queen last visited the Olympic Park some four years ago just after the bid was won and since then, millions of people are being inspired by, benefitting from and delivering London 2012.

'We are thrilled to welcome Her Majesty back to show the progress we’ve made. The skyline in this part of London is being changed forever with the Olympic Park will become a home to world class sport in 2012 and home to a new community afterwards. The Queen is planting the first tree, a symbolic gesture that represents the most extraordinary effort by everyone to ensure the Games bring lasting change for millions of people across London and the country as a whole.'

Tessa Jowell, Minister for the Olympics, said: 'This is a memorable day for the Olympic project. Her Majesty has been a firm supporter of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games and I am delighted that she has been able to visit the Park at its construction stage and meet some of the people behind its incredible progress.

'In years to come the Olympic Park will become an iconic corner of London so it is fitting that the Queen will be planting the first tree on the site which will live on well beyond 2012.'

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'This is yet another significant milestone on the road to the London 2012 Games. The Olympic Park will be the largest urban park created in Europe for more than 150 years and it is right and proper that the first tree should be planted by Her Majesty The Queen.

'The Olympic and Paralympic Games present a fantastic opportunity, not only to host two of the world's greatest sporting events, but also to transform this part of London. The tree planted by Her Majesty today will be part of a fantastic green space that London and the UK will treasure for generations to come.'

Colin Moynihan, Chair of the British Olympic Association said: 'The athletes’ experience will be at the heart of the London 2012 Olympic Games. It was great to see Her Majesty The Queen review the field of progress on the Olympic Park, where many of our athletes will compete in 2012 and where we are confident Team GB will deliver an outstanding performance, cheered on by the home crowd.'

Her Majesty today planted the first tree on the Olympic Park – a mature willow tree grown in Milton Keynes which is the first of over 300 trees that will be planted on the Stadium site.

In total, over 4,000 semi-mature trees will form the roots of the 100 hectare park that will provide a colorful setting and festival atmosphere for the Games and a green space for people and wildlife in legacy. The trees, which will be planted over the following three winters, have been carefully selected to ‘future proof’ against climate change and are predominantly native species such as ash, alder, willow, birch, hazel, cherry, poplar, London plane and lime.

Notes to Editors:

1. Her Majesty was accompanied by Sir David Brewer (Lord-Lieutenant for Greater London), Tessa Jowell (Olympics Minister), Lord Coe (Chairman, London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games), Mayor Boris Johnson, Lord Moynihan (Chairman, British Olympic Association) and John Armitt (Chairman, Olympic Delivery Authority).

2. Royal Olympic Facts

The first London Olympiad was in 1908, when the marathon route was extended from 25 miles, to 26 miles and 385 yards (now the standard length) so that the Royal Family in residence at Windsor Castle could support the runners as they ran by the Castle.
Queen Alexandra presented medals at the White City stadium in 1908.
King George VI opened the second London Olympic Games on 29th July, 1948.
The Duke of Edinburgh (on behalf of The Queen) opened the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.
The Queen opened the 1976 Montreal Olympics Games.
HRH The Princess Royal competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as part of the British Three-Day Event team.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh hosted at dinner at Buckingham Palace for the International Olympic Evaluation Commission, during their visit to London in 2005, prior the awarding of the 2012 Games to London.
After the announcement of the successful London bid, The Queen visited the London Olympic Park site on 12th October, 2005.
The Earl of Wessex is Patron, British Paralympic Association.
The Princess Royal is a British representative on the International Olympic Committee. HRH took part in London's successful bid to host the Games, and is now a member of the London Organising Committee.

3. In legacy the Olympic Park’s parklands, designed for people and wildlife, will provide the focus for the London 2012 legacy sports facilities including the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, Velopark, multi-sports arena and Eton Manor outdoor sports complex. The southern part of the Park will focus on continuing the festival atmosphere of the Games, with riverside gardens, markets, events, cafes and bars. The northern parklands will provide a more open, ecological landscape of wetlands, woodlands and bio-diverse lawns and habitats for hundreds of existing and rare species from kingfishers to otters.

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For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700.

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