Legacy mode

[Martijn]

Olympic Park tour includes seeing Boris Johnson as “site manager”

Friday, March 29, 2013

11:31 AM

Reporter Sebastian Mann heads on to the Olympic Park for a Park in Progress Tour.

Much has changed about the Olympic Park since last summer, including attire – with hard hats and hi-vis jackets a requirement the moment you arrive at the Pudding Mill Lane site office.

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) is taking no risks with its new Park in Progress Tours – but they’re worth the silly headwear.

Not long after arriving at the site office, I’m loaded on to a bus to meander my way through what is essentially a construction site.

The journey may be short, but the LLDC doesn’t let you get bored. A video featuring London Mayor Boris Johnson as “site manager” will entertain you as you trundle along.

At the ArcelorMittal Orbit there’s no time wasted getting you up the 115m of twisted steel – and don’t worry, some speedy lifts are available if you don’t fancy the 455 steps (more than the Eiffel Tower, a chatty bus driver informs us).

About 80m up we’re offered the choice of two viewing platforms, one where you can indulge in a virtual cycle tour of the park on an iPad, the other with two wacky £1m mirrors.

They offer interesting contorted views of surrounding area.

Unfortunately there’s no access to any other areas of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on the tour – sadly in spite of the hard hats – but the views from atop the Orbit more than compensate.

You better hurry though –the tours only run until early June. The park will then close until July.

Olympic park to reopen to visitors with ArcelorMittal Orbit tours

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

3:00 PM

Visitors will be able to relive Games’ memories while taking in London’s sites when the Olympic Park partially reopens to the public this Easter weekend.

Tours will offer visitors views of the Olympic Park and Greater London from the top of the ArcelorMittal Orbit.

But the rest of the park will remain closed to visitors until July as construction work continues.

Before ascending Britain’s largest piece of public art, revellers are introduced to the park by a video-recording of London Mayor Boris Johnson offering safety advice and his analysis of the structure - “baffling”.

Then ArcelorMittal Orbit designer Anish Kapoor describes his piece of iconic archectiture, made from steel, as using “nineteenth-century invention to make a 21st-century object”.

Canary Wharf, foregrounded by construction work regenerating Stratford. Picture: Sebastian Mann

Up the Orbit, from a viewing platform about 80m high, visitors take in 360 degree views of the park and surrounding area.

On a clear day, the ArcelorMittal Orbit offers views stretching as far as Wembley Stadium to the north and Crystal Palace in the south.

It also provides an almost birds-eye-view of the Olympic Stadium, tenancy of which was recently awarded to West Ham football club.

The stellar view the Orbit provides of the track meant the viewing platform was particularly popular with visitors around big athletics events at the Games.

Tour guide Godfrey, who also worked during the Games, said he remembered people out-staying their tickets up the Orbit in order to catch a glimpse of the 100m final.

He said: “People that had tickets for three stayed up here until seven. They were prepared to get arrested!”

The Park in Progress tours, which open this Friday, are proving similarly popular, with tickets for the four day long Easter weekend all already sold out.

But the tours will be operating until the beginning of May, with tickets at £15 for adults (as they were during the Games) and £7 for children.

london24.com

[Rob2012]

^^ And some photos found on Flickr, posted by someone who'd been on the tour...click below for full album...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lighterness/sets/72157633126931406/with/8604063320/

[Martijn]

[Martijn]

TICKET DETAILS CONFIRMED FOR THE LONDON ANNIVERSARY GAMES

04 April 2013

British Athletics today announced that tickets for the London Anniversary Games, which takes place at The Stadium, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 26th – 28th July, will go on sale exclusively to pre-registered fans at 10am on Friday 19th April 2013. Pre-registration closes at midnight on Wednesday 17th April.

Tickets will go on general public sale at 10am on Tuesday 23rd April.

The majority of the tickets for the London Anniversary Games, which incorporates two days of IAAF Diamond League action and a one-off IPC International Challenge, will be priced between £12-£50.

Fans can register their interest in tickets, for free, via www.loveathletics.uka.org.uk

Please note, fans who bought tickets for Crystal Palace will be contacted directly with information as to how to purchase their equivalent tickets for the London Anniversary Games.

and

As a loyal fan that purchased tickets for Crystal Palace, you will have priority to buy tickets. Tickets will be available to buy from 10:00hrs on Thursday 18th April. However, you will only have until 23:30hrs on this date to purchase your tickets.

[Olympian2004]

Apart from the taken down wrap, the Olympic Stadium still looks so crisp, clean and new - just as if it's waiting for the visitors to come to start it all over again. It's great that that unique stadium will have a lasting legacy, even if its appearance will change in quite a few regards due to the West Ham take-over.

[runningrings]

At least it has a tenant.

[Olympian2004]

At least it has a tenant.

FYI, I didn't criticise the stadium's makeover due to West Ham becoming the new tenant.

[runningrings]

FYI, I didn't criticise the stadium's makeover due to West Ham becoming the new tenant.

It wasn't my intention to imply that you were .

[Rob2012]

Olympic Park to stage Global Champions Tour

The world’s leading show jumping championships will be staged at The International Quarter, adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, cementing the extraordinary equestrian legacy from the London Olympic Games.

Global Champions Tour will bring world class 5* show jumping to the capital from June 6 - 9 2013 with the full support of Mayor of London Boris Johnson and his Chief of Staff Sir Edward Lister. It will be one of the first international sporting events in the Olympic Park since the London Games and comes only weeks before the site opens fully to the public.

[Martijn]

One of the world’s leading electronic music festivals heads to London for the first time in July, to showcase just why it is is one of the most loved events in America.

The world famous Electric Daisy Carnival will be descending on London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for the first time, on Saturday 20th July 2013, announcing its arrival as one of the largest and most exciting festivals in the country this year.

With astonishing production values and a lineup that will make other festivals green with envy, EDC is shaping up to be one of the highlights of the summer.

lineup + more info: http://www.skiddle.com/news/all/Electric-Daisy-Carnival-London-2013/16600/

[paul]

Did Vancouver have a legacy mode, all I hear about is the 1 billion dollar loss on the Athletes Village?

[JMarkSnow2012]

@Paul: "Did Vancouver have a legacy mode, all I hear about is the 1 billion dollar loss on the Athletes Village?"

Well, here's the official IOC answer:
http://www.olympic.org/content/olympism-in-action/olympic-legacy/vancouver-2010/

Tantalisingly, part 2 of this recent in-depth look back by a local journalist, which would have dealt with legacy aspects, seems not to have been published:
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/02/three-years-later-a-reflection-on-the-vancouver-2010-olympic-games/

[Martijn]

SAINSBURY'S ANNIVERSARY GAMES SCHEDULE

Friday 26th July

Men: Women:

100m 800m*

200m* 1500m

400m* 5,000m*

800m 400m hurdles*

Discus* 4x100m

High jump* Pole vault*

Triple jump*

Saturday 27th July

Men: Women:

110m hurdles* 100m*

1 Mile (Emsley Carr)* 200m

3,000m 400m

400m hurdles 100m hurdles

3,000m steeplechase* Long jump

4x100m Shot put*

Long jump* Javelin*

Pole vault

Fans can find out more and register their interest in tickets, for free, via the British Athletics website – www.britishathletics.org.uk. Pre-registered fans can buy tickets for the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games from 10am this Friday (19 April), although pre-registration closes at midnight on Wednesday (17 April). Tickets will go on general public sale at 10am on 23 April.

[paul]

@Paul: "Did Vancouver have a legacy mode, all I hear about is the 1 billion dollar loss on the Athletes Village?"

Well, here's the official IOC answer:

http://www.olympic.org/content/olympism-in-action/olympic-legacy/vancouver-2010/

Tantalisingly, part 2 of this recent in-depth look back by a local journalist, which would have dealt with legacy aspects, seems not to have been published:

http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/02/three-years-later-a-reflection-on-the-vancouver-2010-olympic-games/

I guess it's worth a billion for a possitive blurb on the IOC website, too bad the city didn't decorate, but that would have just cost more I guess.

To be honest I used to love Vancouver before the Olympics more, not sure why, less in your face but still super cool back then.

[Martijn]

Medium Level

£212.00

£212.00 (£200.00 Ticket + £12.00 Fees)

Lower Bowl

£12.35 - £127.00

£12.35 (£11.25 Ticket + £1.10 Fees)

£127.00 (£120.00 Ticket + £7.00 Fees)

Upper Bowl

£10.10 - £54.00

£10.10 (£9.00 Ticket + £1.10 Fees)

£54.00 (£50.00 Ticket + £4.00 Fees)

Onsale to General Public

Start: Tue 23/04/13, 10:00

CP Presale 2

Start: Wed 17/04/13, 10:00
End: Wed 17/04/13, 23:30

CP Presale 3

Start: Thu 18/04/13, 10:00
End: Thu 18/04/13, 23:30

Registration Presale

Start: Fri 19/04/13, 10:00
End: Sun 21/04/13, 23:30

CP Presale 1

Start: Tue 16/04/13, 10:00
End: Tue 16/04/13, 23:30

From the ticketmaster website

[Martijn]

I've bought tickets for the Anniversary Games this morning. [sat 27-7] Anyone else planning to go?

Schedule: http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/media/news/march-2013/15-04-13-sag-schedule/

Line-up: http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/media/news/march-2013/17-04-13-sag-international-line-up/

[Mr Tickle]

Did you have tickets for Birmingham? Im planning to go but thought they wern't on sale til tomorrow

[Rob2012]

Wings clipped:

https://twitter.com/owen_g/status/324839862467440641/photo/1

[Martijn]

Did you have tickets for Birmingham? Im planning to go but thought they wern't on sale til tomorrow

I had tickets for Crystal Palace. There were 3 different CP presales. Tue, Wed and today.

The Registration Presale starts indeed tomorrow at 10.00.

[Martijn]

Olympic North Park - 100 days to go

- last updated Thu 18 Apr 2013

It's been announced that Bruce Springsteen, Jay Z and Justin Timberlake will all play the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic North Park venue.

Kasabian will headline the first music festival - Hard Rock Calling - in the North Park on June 29th. Bruce Springsteen will headline on June 30th.

Four festivals will take place on consecutive weekends as part of a summer of music and events at the new venue.

The announcements were made today as the London Legacy Development Corporation marked 100 days to go until the official opening of North Park.

The site of the London 2012 Olympics has been transformed in a £292 million construction programme, one of the largest in Europe. The Park will soon begin to re-open in phases as works reach completion, starting with the official opening of North Park in July 2013.

This will include the Copper Box, London’s third largest arena, North Park Cafe and community space with a stunning new playground and open spaces for visitors to walk in.

The Legacy Corporation is celebrating the phased re-opening of the Park from July 2013 to spring 2014 with a programme of summer entertainment and events, bringing sport and international artists to the venues.

– BORIS JOHNSON, MAYOR OF LONDON AND CHAIRMAN OF THE LONDON LEGACY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

“This time last year we were putting the finishing touches on what was to become the greatest ever Olympic and Paralympic Games. Twelve months on, the long term future of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is bright, dispelling the fears of white elephants and tumbleweed. With a world beating summer of sport and music lined up and as new schools, homes and neighbourhoods take shape, we are on track to deliver a lasting legacy for Londoners."

– DENNIS HONE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE LONDON LEGACY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

“The momentum and energy of the Games lives on with the creation of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and we are on track to deliver a fantastic new destination and a lasting legacy for east London. We have set an ambitious timetable with the phased opening of the Park to ensure people have access to venues, facilities and open spaces as soon as possible after the end of the London 2012 Games.

In just 100 days time, exactly one year after the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, we will welcome thousands of visitors back to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to experience what this exciting new part of London has to offer – from international rock stars and world-class athletes, to new parklands and outside spaces to walk, play and enjoy. The work we are undertaking now will deliver a lasting legacy for decades to come and this summer is just the first part of that journey.”

North Park in numbers

• In a few months, families will begin moving into 2,818 homes, including 1,379 affordable homes on the site of the Athletes' Village, to be known as East Village
• The Copper Box is London's third largest arena at 2,743m2 (equivalent to 12 badminton courts)
• 515 new trees have been planted to date
• 1.5 million hours worked on site up to March 2013
• 9.5km of roads changed to allow visitors and residents to move around the Park
• 189,570m3 - the amount of soil reused across the site
• 41,500 temporary seats removed from Games-time venues like the Aquatics Centre, Basketball Arena and Waterpolo Arena
• http://www.itv.com/news/london/2013-04-18/olympic-north-park-100-days-to-go/

High resolution images to download here http://www.2012imagelibrary.co.uk/index.php?a=Selections&WINID=1366297106356

[Mr Tickle]

Fingers crossed I will get tickets for Saturday & Sunday tommorrow at 10am : )

[Martijn]

Good luck!

I hope to get tickets for the 26th. Would love to see Bolt in the 100m

---

I found this time-lapse on youtube:

[Mr Tickle]

Woo hoo got tickets for Saturday. Gutted though had to pay more than I wanted so giving the Sunday a miss for now.

[Martijn]

Great! I think Saturday is the best day with Usain Bolt, Mo Farrah and Jessica Ennis.

I've got ticket for Friday as well. Block 217 so close to the finish line. Received the ticket confirmation 10:07. BA's crm site couldn't handle the demand. Luckily I had bookmarked the ticketmaster pages before 10.00

[Mr Tickle]

It took me an hour I couldnt get anywhere near the site before that. Its going to be an incredible atmosphere, dare I say even better than last year, could it even be better than that, it will be such a party atmosphere. A stadium full of people that really want to be there, going to be incredible!!!!!!!!!!!