London Embraces Reopened Olympic Park

Londoners hailed the "amazing" Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park after it reopened to the public 18 months after the end of the London 2012 Games.

The site, which was once industrial contaminated land, is now an urban park in one of the largest redevelopment projects in Europe.

As well as removing some of the temporary venues from the Games, the park now includes new installations such as a fountain beneath the Orbit. Children frolicked in the water as little performances and have-a-go sessions took place across the site.

With the London 2012 slogan being "Inspire a Generation," the sentiment echoed across the park on a warm day in the east of the capital.

"It is fantastic. It has the wow factor," said local mother Anita from Stratford. "We don’t have this much open space in East London so it’s brilliant. The kids have never had so much fun rolling around on grass."

Another local, Zoe, hailed the interactive elements of the park and the accessibility – a factor that had been questioned due to the site’s location in the city.

One of the most noticeable things about the park is the Aquatics Centre, which has been open for a week to the public. It has had the temporary seating stands removed from either side so people can appreciate the full scale of Zaha Hadid’s design. Also open is the Velodrome which is situated in the north part, alongside the most green spaces and the wetlands area.

There are still parts of the park being redeveloped, most notably the stadium which will be the home of Premier League football club West Ham from 2016. But their arrival on the site is cause for concern among some locals.

Sam from nearby Hackney said, "The only fear I have is when West Ham move in. I wonder what responsibility will be on the club to keep the place tidy because football fans aren't known for their cleanliness."

The London Legacy Development Corporation have clearly invested in hiring security for the park as well as childcare around the playground areas for safety, as officials were in plain sight. The heightened security of the Games still has a presence, somewhat.

However, more positive reminders of the Games are scattered around, from a device that plays messages and crowd noises from big moments in the Olympics and Paralympics to facts and figures from the event. Special walking trails invite people to learn the London 2012 story.

The Olympic Rings shine down on the park from the northern sector giving visitors a chance to be a part of the movement,even if they didn’t make it to the Games themselves.

Written by Christian Radnedge

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