London forced to abandon 2012 canoe venue
09/10/2007 |
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London Olympic organisers have been forced to abandon their original plans for the canoe slalom venue after the original site in Spitalbrook, Hertfordshire was found to be severely contaminated.
The Olympic Delivery Authority said yesterday that it identified an alternative site for a new venue six miles from the original, and while no final decision has been taken it seems certain that the International Olympic Committee will be asked to approve a change of venue before the end of the year.
The change is an embarrassment to Olympic organisers, who have effectively conceded that initial assessments of the site were inadequate. When the bid book was submitted to the IOC, London relied on an assessment of the site, owned by the Lee Valley Regional Parks Agency, which claimed there was a low risk of contamination.
It has now emerged that the original assessment was misleading and in fact the site is contaminated so seriously with petrol, oil and tar that it is cheaper for the ODA to purchase a new site and amend its designs than clean up the existing site.
The new site the ODA has identified is also in the borough of Broxbourne and is six miles south of the original, closer to the main Olympic Park in Stratford, east London. The ODA believes that the original designs for the waterway and other facilities are easily transferred to the new site.
The ODA's chief executive, David Higgins, admitted yesterday that the cost of a clean-up at the original site was "prohibitive" but insisted that the venue was on track: "Although the Spitalbrook site investigations are still continuing, the initial results indicate that the cost of cleaning up the land for this venue would be prohibitive given budget and time restrictions.
"We will continue to look at the Spitalbrook site but it is prudent to develop robust contingency plans at this stage. We have a very challenging timetable and it is important to take swift action when presented with problems.
"Venue designs continue to be developed so that a planning application can be submitted once the site discussions are completed. We are on track to complete the venue for test events in 2011."
The final decision on the venue change will depend on the IOC and the International Canoe Federation, who will receive a formal presentation on the switch from London 2012 later this year.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
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