Olympic Park reopening schedule announced

Wed 6th June 2012, 10:54 am

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will reopen to the public in three phases from July next year, following a post-Games transformation, it has been announced.

The London Legacy Development Corporation said that the 18 months from October 2012 will see the park transform from an Olympic site into a brand new piece of the city in the heart of London’s East End.

By spring 2014, the 560 acre Olympic Park will become a new visitor destination and community park, unlike any other in the UK.

As well as its collection of iconic venues, the Park will be defined by two distinct areas: the river valley in the north, and a 50 acre urban landscape in the south.

The North Park will include a nature-themed community hub and playground, where children will be able to build dens and create their own everyday adventures in nature.

The South Plaza will sit between the stadium, Aquatics Centre and the ArcelorMittal Orbit. Here, visitors will be able to stroll down a tree-lined promenade, which will connect flexible spaces for events and attractions like cultural programmes, pop up street food stalls and community events.

The creation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will be one of the biggest construction projects in Europe.

The 18 month transformation programme marks its first phase, laying the foundations for further development across East London over the next 20 years.

The transformation has three main objectives:

• To clear Games-time structures including temporary venues, bridges, walkways and roads;
• To connect the Park to the surrounding area with new roads, cycle and foot paths;
• To complete permanent venues, bridges and parklands ready for residents’ and visitors’ everyday use.

To enable people to get onto the park as quickly as possible, the Legacy Corporation has carefully planned its works to re-open the park in phases, as each piece of work reaches completion. The first area will re-open from 27 July 2013 – exactly one year after the 2012 Games opening ceremony.

First to open will be the North Park in July 2013, which in addition to the community hub includes acres of vibrant green parklands and footpaths.

Second to open will be the South Plaza in Easter 2014, which will include some of the Park’s iconic venues including the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Aquatics Centre, which will be adapted for everyday use including aqua-fitness classes, family swims and lane swimming.

From Easter 2014 residents and visitors will be able to access the whole park, with new entrances opening via Westfield shopping centre and Stratford High Street in Newham.

London mayor Boris Johnson said: “Within a year of the close of the 2012 Games, the park will be ready to welcome not only another major sporting event, but also the thousands of residents and workers who will reap the benefits of this brand new district of the capital.”

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