The legacy the Games leave is as important as the sporting memories – Tony Blair

Posted on November 17, 2009 by nicole

Staging blockbuster sports events is riddled with controversy as evidenced by the problems currently being faced in London in its preparation for the 2012 Olympics.  The following are 10 guidelines I have developed in response to the criticisms raised during our tour of the site and in the “Lea Valley Scar” reader.   I have chosen to focus on aspects which I feel currently suffer from a lack of priority in planners’ minds which perhaps explains why there is very little mention of actual sports here. The list is by no means exhaustive but stems from what I identified as the prominent and urgent concerns needing to be addressed.

1. Before any proposed site is chosen, there needs to be an in-depth analysis of the likely impacts of such an event from all perspectives – including environmental, social and financial – conducted by an independent research body.  What wildlife will be affected by the development at this site and to what extent? What about local residents?  What are the costs of building such a site and how do they compare with the predicted generated income?  Also included should be a review of similar previously held events and their successes and failings.

2.  Following this survey, the results must be clearly presented and accessible to all, with a concerted effort to avoid any bias or framing.  The decision about the site’s suitability will be based on consideration and discussion of these findings.  This transparency and availability of all information which guides planning and development decisions needs to be maintained throughout.

3. There needs to be continuous monitoring of all aspects of the development by an independent watchdog board consisting of a mixture of locally affected parties and experts.  These aspects include everything from budgeting, scheduling, data collection and interpretation, granting and use of permits, to actual construction.  All decisions made need to be able to be traced and accounted for.

4. A number of locally elected community representatives must be employed to liaise continuously with developers and authorities. This ensures an ongoing dialogue between all parties at all stages.  This could be further combined with the staging of regular forums with all interested parties – say in the form of structured monthly meetings open to all.  Involvement of the community needs to be central to the whole development.

5. Honest and realistic financial forecasting is essential.  Where the reality strays from these predictions, where costs exceed the budget, these need to be fully explained and accounted for.

6. Realistic time-frames need to be in place.  These should include extra time/ flexibility where possible to make room for inevitable unforeseen delays.

7. The benefits of the project must extend beyond the scope of the two-week event.  Although sports is the primary driving force, the targets of the development should not stop there.  This means not just focusing on throwing up temporary structures and solutions but amenities that can be incorporated to present more long-term use to and improvement of the local area.  The notion of temporary infrastructures needs to be avoided in favour of permanent general improvements.

8. Any new structures which are built ought to be done so in a way which complements rather than clashes with already existing architecture, blending into the landscape rather than posing an eyesore or challenge.

9. Emphasis should be placed on finding solutions and plans that cause the least disruption possible – especially in terms of that which affects the local residents, cultures and wildlife.

10. Injecting long-term sustainable wealth into the surrounding area of the site should be a primary concern which should be reflected in employment policies and resource acquisition.

If such a site is successfully created perhaps there should be real consideration of the idea put forward by Mark Saunders of changing the “nomadic” character of events such as the Olympics and hosting them at one specifically-designed site.