2012 Summer Olympic venues
Encyclopedia
The 2012 Summer Olympics
and Paralympics
venues are mostly located in the host city of London
, though some other events require facilities located elsewhere. Since the successful bid
for the 2012 Summer Olympics
and 2012 Summer Paralympics
, some details have changed, with ongoing developments and announcements
taking place.
and Horse Guards Parade
. In the wake of the problems that plagued the Millennium Dome
, the intention is that there will be no white elephant
s after the games. Some of the new facilities will be reused in their Olympic form, while others will be reduced in size and several will be relocated elsewhere in the UK. The plans will contribute to the regeneration of Stratford
in east London which will be the site of the Olympic Park, and of the neighbouring Lower Lea Valley
.
The majority of venues have been divided into three zones within Greater London
: the Olympic Zone, the River Zone and the Central Zone. In addition to these are those venues that, by necessity, are outside the boundaries of Greater London.
The International Olympic Committee
(IOC) noted that at the time of the bid further negotiations were necessary to ensure the use of the Old Trafford and Villa Park football stadia. The need for compulsory purchase order
s was also highlighted as a possible problem for the Olympic Park, but did not expect this to cause any "undue delay to construction schedules".
, and will be seven minutes by Olympic Javelin train from central London. The park will contain:
The original plan called for the construction of five new indoor arenas, four in the Olympic Park, and one in the River Zone (see below). In order to save money this was reduced to two. The existing venues at Earls Court and Wembley Arena were added to the plans (see Central Zone below), and various sports were shuffled around to make this possible.
The construction of the Olympic Park itself commenced in 2006, with Murphy Group awarded the contract to remove the powerlines which crossed the site and relocate these into a tunnel to be dug beneath the site. Civil engineering
companies Morrisons and Nuttalls were appointed to undertake the demolition and land remediation works, under the project management of WS Atkins. The pace of this speeded up with the closure of the roads crossing the Olympic Park in June 2007. The construction phase of the Olympic Park is being managed by CLM, a consortium comprising CH2M Hill
, Laing O'Rourke
and Mace
. This consortium is officially titled Delivery Partner, ODA. The earliest construction of venues commenced in April 2008 with the start of the main build on the Olympic Stadium by McAlpine
, with the nearby energy centre to be constructed by EDF Energy
. Work on the Aquatics Centre began later the same year. During the construction phase the workforce on-site is expected to peak at 9,000 operatives.
area straddling the River Thames
:
In the initial plan for the River Zone, a temporary 6,000 seat capacity facility to be called North Greenwich Arena 2 was to have been built alongside the O2 to host the badminton
and rhythmic gymnastics
events. However, the cost led to alternatives being suggested, eventually leading to the cancellation of the arena and the transfer of its planned events to Wembley Arena
instead.
. They are quite widely spread across central
and west London
:
The earlier stages of the Olympic football competition will be played at football stadia around the United Kingdom
shown in the table below. As stated above, the Football final will be at the 90,000 seat Wembley Stadium
:
Difficulties experienced by developers Lend Lease
in raising funds for the village (the single largest project in the 2012 scheme) resulted in the scale of the village being reduced by "almost 25%". This was achieved predominantly by providing accommodation for London-based athletes only. Those competing in events outside London were to be housed elsewhere. Following the athletes' experiences in Beijing 2008 (and in particular through comments concerning athletes' welfare by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
) this compromise was to be reconsidered whilst pressure built for the finance deal to be resolved.
Public transport
, an aspect of the bid which scored poorly in the IOC's initial evaluation, will see numerous improvements, including the expansion of the East London Line
, upgrades to the Docklands Light Railway
and the North London Line
, and the new "Olympic Javelin" service. It is almost impossible to assess how many of the proposed improvements would have happened in any case. The games were won without a commitment to deliver Crossrail
by 2012. This is the largest transport project proposed for London, and it was widely assumed in the early stages of the bidding process that the games could not be won without a guarantee that it would be completed before the games.
During the games 80% of athletes will be within 20 minutes of their events and 97% will be within 30 minutes of their events. Together, all the planned National Rail
, light rail, and underground services (excluding Crossrail) are expected to deliver around 240 trains every hour.
was planned to host the softball
and baseball
events, but the IOC chose not to run those events.
Windsor Park
in Belfast
, Northern Ireland
, was included as a football venue in the IOC questionnaire submitted in 2004, but excluded in the final candidature file.
On 7 June 2006, a revised masterplan for the Olympic Park was announced. The most significant change was the relocation of the volleyball
events from a new Olympic Arena to the existing venue of Earls Court
, which is several miles to the west. The revision also involved the re-organisation of the park shuffling the Basketball
, Cycling
, Fencing
, Tennis
and Hockey
venues in addition to the Press and Broadcast Centre. This move was designed to remove the need for the relocation of 80 businesses and to provide a more coherent legacy for the sporting venues.
At least two of the venues to be developed outside central London have been relocated from the original bid sites. The Broxbourne canoe venue was marginally re-sited following the discovery (in October 2007) that the proposed Spitalbrook site was contaminated, while in February 2008 the Weald Country Park
was deemed insufficiently challenging for elite mountain biking. It was announced in August 2008 that the revised venue would be at Hadleigh Farm
, also in Essex.
In August 2009, Villa Park
was withdrawn from the list of venues for the football competition, due to uncertainty over Aston Villa's redevelopment plans for the stadium.
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
and Paralympics
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
venues are mostly located in the host city of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, though some other events require facilities located elsewhere. Since the successful bid
London 2012 Olympic bid
London 2012 was the successful bid for the 2012 Summer Games, to be held in London with most events taking place in Stratford, Newham. The British Olympic Association had been working on the bid since 1997...
for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
and 2012 Summer Paralympics
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
, some details have changed, with ongoing developments and announcements
2012 Summer Olympic development
The 2012 Summer Olympic development is a process running from 2005 to 2012, following the successful London bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. While many of the plans were included in the bid portfolio, which gained the favour of the International Olympic Committee over the four other bids on 6...
taking place.
Sporting venues
The 2012 Games will use a mixture of newly built venues, existing facilities, and temporary facilities, some of them in well known locations such as Hyde ParkHyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
and Horse Guards Parade
Horse Guards Parade
Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London, at grid reference . It is the site of the annual ceremonies of Trooping the Colour, which commemorates the monarch's official birthday, and Beating Retreat.-History:...
. In the wake of the problems that plagued the Millennium Dome
Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome or even The O2 Arena, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium...
, the intention is that there will be no white elephant
White elephant
A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession of which its owner cannot dispose and whose cost is out of proportion to its usefulness or worth...
s after the games. Some of the new facilities will be reused in their Olympic form, while others will be reduced in size and several will be relocated elsewhere in the UK. The plans will contribute to the regeneration of Stratford
Stratford, London
Stratford is a place in the London Borough of Newham, England. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an agrarian settlement in the ancient parish of West Ham, which transformed into an industrial suburb...
in east London which will be the site of the Olympic Park, and of the neighbouring Lower Lea Valley
Lower Lea Valley
The Lower Lea Valley is the southern end of the Lea Valley, surrounding the River Lea , which runs along the boundary of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets on its western bank and the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest and Newham on its eastern bank, into the River Thames. The river forms the...
.
The majority of venues have been divided into three zones within Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
: the Olympic Zone, the River Zone and the Central Zone. In addition to these are those venues that, by necessity, are outside the boundaries of Greater London.
The International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) noted that at the time of the bid further negotiations were necessary to ensure the use of the Old Trafford and Villa Park football stadia. The need for compulsory purchase order
Compulsory purchase order
A compulsory purchase order is a legal function in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland that allows certain bodies which need to obtain land or property to do so without the consent of the owner. It may be enforced if a proposed development is considered one for public betterment - for...
s was also highlighted as a possible problem for the Olympic Park, but did not expect this to cause any "undue delay to construction schedules".
Olympic Zone
The Olympic Zone will encompass all of the facilities within the 500 acre (2 km²) Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford. This park is being developed on existing waste and industrial land, at grid referenceBritish national grid reference system
The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude....
, and will be seven minutes by Olympic Javelin train from central London. The park will contain:
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics 2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012... |
Paralympics 2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's... |
|||
| Aquatics Centre Aquatics Centre (London) The London Aquatics Centre is an indoor facility with two 50 metre swimming pools and a 25 metre diving pool, which will be one of the main venues of the London 2012 Summer Olympics and the London 2012 Summer Paralympics.-Design:... |
Diving Diving at the Summer Olympics Diving was first introduced in the official programme of the Summer Olympic Games at the 1904 Games of St. Louis and has been an Olympic sport since. It was known as "fancy diving" for the acrobatic stunts performed by divers during the dive... , Modern pentathlon Modern pentathlon at the Summer Olympics Modern pentathlon is a sports contest created especially for the Summer Olympic Games by the founder of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, and was first contested in 1912. Coubertin was inspired by the pentathlon event in Ancient Olympic Games, which was modeled after the skills of the... (swimming), Swimming Swimming at the Summer Olympics Swimming has been a sport at every modern Summer Olympics. It has been open to women since 1912. Along with track & field athletics and gymnastics it is one of the most popular spectator sports at the Games and the one with the largest number of events.... , Synchronized swimming Synchronized swimming at the Summer Olympics Synchronized swimming has been contested at the Summer Olympics since the 1984 Games. The current Olympic program has competition in duet and team events, but in past games, a solo event was also contested... |
Swimming Swimming at the Summer Paralympics Swimming has been contested at every Summer Paralympics. At the first games, the 1960 Paralympics, 62 swimming events were held in distances of 25 and 50 metres, plus a 3×50 metre relay for men. Since then, swimming at the Paralympics has grown to 140 events covering distances from 50 to 400... |
17,500 | |
| Basketball Arena Basketball Arena (2012 Olympics) The Basketball Arena for the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, United Kingdom will be located in the Olympic Park in Poplar, London... |
Basketball Basketball at the Summer Olympics Basketball has been a Summer Olympics sport for men consistently since 1936. Prior to its inclusion as a medal sport, it was held as demonstration event in 1904 and 1932, both in the United States. Women's basketball was played in the Olympics only since 1976.... , Handball Handball at the Summer Olympics Team handball was introduced as an Olympic sport for men at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, but dropped after that, only to be resumed at the 1972 Summer Olympics, again on German territory... (medal round) |
Wheelchair rugby Wheelchair rugby at the Summer Paralympics Wheelchair rugby was first contested at the Summer Paralympics as a demonstration sport in 1996. It became an official medal-awarding sport in 2000 and has been competed at every Summer Paralympics since then... , Wheelchair basketball Wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics Wheelchair basketball has been contested at the Summer Paralympics since the 1960 Summer Paralympics in Rome.Winning the Paralympics is considered to be the highest honor in international wheelchair basketball, followed by the World Championships of the International Wheelchair Basketball... |
12,000 (OG) 10,000 (PG) |
|
| BMX Circuit London Velopark The London Velopark is a cycling centre which was built in Leyton in east London, United Kingdom. It will serve as one of the 'Big Five' permanent Olympic and Paralympic venues for the 2012 Games. The Velopark is situated at the northern end of London's Olympic Park... |
Cycling Cycling at the Summer Olympics Cycling has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics.-Track cycling, Men:-Track cycling, Women:-Road bicycle racing, Men:-Road bicycle racing, Women:... (BMX) |
— | 6,000 (temporary) | |
| Eton Manor Eton Manor Eton Manor is a sports and leisure venue in Leyton, London Borough of Waltham Forest. It is the northernnmost area of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and a venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics.... |
— | Wheelchair tennis Wheelchair tennis at the Summer Paralympics Wheelchair tennis was first contested at the Summer Paralympics as a demonstration sport in 1988, with two events being held . It became an official medal-awarding sport in 1992 and has been competed at every Summer Paralympics since then... |
10,500 | |
| Handball Arena Handball Arena (2012 Olympics) The Handball Arena for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom will be located in the Olympic Park in Stratford, East London. The Handball Arena will also be the Goalball venue for the 2012 Summer Paralympics.... |
Fencing Fencing at the Summer Olympics Fencing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Women's foil made its Olympic debut in Paris, during the 1924 Olympic Games... , Handball, Modern pentathlon (fencing) |
Goalball Goalball at the Summer Paralympics -Men:-Women:... |
7,000 | |
| London Velodrome London Velopark The London Velopark is a cycling centre which was built in Leyton in east London, United Kingdom. It will serve as one of the 'Big Five' permanent Olympic and Paralympic venues for the 2012 Games. The Velopark is situated at the northern end of London's Olympic Park... |
Cycling (track) | Cycling Cycling at the Summer Paralympics Cycling has been contested at every Summer Paralympic Games since the 1984 Summer Paralympics.-Classification:Cyclists are given a classification depending on the type and extent of their disability... (track) |
6,000 | |
| Olympic Hockey Centre Olympic Hockey Centre (London) London's Olympic Hockey Centre will be built in the Olympic Park at Hackney in east London, United Kingdom. It will have two venues for the Olympic hockey competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics with capacities of 15,000 and 5,000 respectively, and venues for the Paralympic football seven-a-side... |
Field hockey Field hockey at the Summer Olympics Field hockey was introduced at the Summer Olympic Games as a men's competition at the 1908 Games in London, with six teams, including four from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.... |
Football seven-a-side, Football five-a-side | 16,000 | |
| Olympic Stadium Olympic Stadium (London) The London Olympic Stadium will be the centrepiece of the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. The stadium is located at Marshgate Lane in Stratford in the Lower Lea Valley and has capacity for the Games of approximately 80,000 making it temporarily the third largest stadium in Britain behind... |
Athletics, Ceremonies (opening/ closing) | Athletics Athletics at the Summer Paralympics Athletics has been contested at every Summer Paralympics since the first games in 1960. Men and women from all disability groups compete in the sport.Some athletes use wheelchairs or prosthetic limbs.... , Ceremonies (opening/ closing) |
80,000 | |
| Water Polo Arena | Water polo Water polo at the Summer Olympics Water polo has been part of the Summer Olympics program since the second games, in 1900. A women's water polo tournament was introduced for the 2000 Summer Olympics... |
— | 5,000 |
- The Olympic VillageOlympic VillageAn Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
, with accommodation for all athletes and team officials (some 17,320 beds in total). After the games the village will become a district of the Stratford CityStratford CityWestfield Stratford City is a shopping centre in Stratford, London, owned by the Westfield Group. The centre opened on 13 September 2011. With a total retail floor area of , it is one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe. It is the 3rd largest shopping centre in the United Kingdom by...
development, a multi-billion pound development project on the former railway goods yard to the east of the Olympic Park. (Accredited technical officials — referees, umpires, etc. — will be housed in hotel space in London Docklands). - The Olympic Press and Broadcast Centres.
The original plan called for the construction of five new indoor arenas, four in the Olympic Park, and one in the River Zone (see below). In order to save money this was reduced to two. The existing venues at Earls Court and Wembley Arena were added to the plans (see Central Zone below), and various sports were shuffled around to make this possible.
The construction of the Olympic Park itself commenced in 2006, with Murphy Group awarded the contract to remove the powerlines which crossed the site and relocate these into a tunnel to be dug beneath the site. Civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
companies Morrisons and Nuttalls were appointed to undertake the demolition and land remediation works, under the project management of WS Atkins. The pace of this speeded up with the closure of the roads crossing the Olympic Park in June 2007. The construction phase of the Olympic Park is being managed by CLM, a consortium comprising CH2M Hill
CH2M Hill
CH2M Hill is an American-based global provider of engineering, construction, and operations services for corporations, nonprofits, and federal, state, and local governments. The firm is headquartered in Meridian, an unincorporated area of Douglas County, Colorado in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan...
, Laing O'Rourke
Laing O'Rourke
Laing O'Rourke is a multinational construction company headquartered in Dartford, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1978....
and Mace
Mace (company)
Mace Group Ltd, commonly known as Mace, is a global consultancy and construction firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations across 49 countries, offering a variety of services that span the entire property life cycle, from fund monitoring, cost consultancy, design management,...
. This consortium is officially titled Delivery Partner, ODA. The earliest construction of venues commenced in April 2008 with the start of the main build on the Olympic Stadium by McAlpine
McAlpine
-People:*Alistair McAlpine, Baron McAlpine — British politician*Jennie McAlpine — British actress*Katherine McAlpine — American science writer and rap performer*Sir Robert McAlpine, 1st Baronet — British civil engineer, known as 'Concrete Bob'...
, with the nearby energy centre to be constructed by EDF Energy
EDF Energy
EDF Energy is an integrated energy company in the United Kingdom, with operations spanning electricity generation and the sale of gas and electricity to homes and businesses throughout the United Kingdom...
. Work on the Aquatics Centre began later the same year. During the construction phase the workforce on-site is expected to peak at 9,000 operatives.
River Zone
The River Zone will feature four main venues in the Thames GatewayThames Gateway
The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...
area straddling the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
:
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics 2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012... |
Paralympics 2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's... |
|||
| ExCeL | Boxing Boxing at the Summer Olympics Boxing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the program at the 1904 Summer Olympics, except for the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, because Swedish law banned the sport at the time. The 2008 Summer Olympics was the final games with boxing as a male only event... , Fencing Fencing at the Summer Olympics Fencing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Women's foil made its Olympic debut in Paris, during the 1924 Olympic Games... , Judo Judo at the Summer Olympics Judo was first included in the Summer Olympic Games at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan. After not being included in 1968, judo has been an Olympic sport in each Olympiad since then. Only male judoka participated until the 1988 Summer Olympics, when women participated as a demonstration sport... , Table tennis Table tennis at the Summer Olympics Table tennis competition has been in the Summer Olympic Games since 1988, with singles and doubles events for both men and women. Athletes from China have dominated the sport, winning a total of 41 medals in 24 events, including 20 gold medals.-Events:... , Taekwondo Taekwondo at the Summer Olympics Taekwondo made its first appearance at the Summer Olympic Games as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. The opening ceremony featured a mass demonstration of taekwondo with hundreds of adults and children performing moves in unison. Taekwondo was again a... , Weightlifting Weightlifting at the Summer Olympics Weightlifting has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the 1920 Summer Olympics, as well as twice before then. It debuted at the 1896 Summer Olympics, in Athens, Greece, and was also an event at the 1904 Games.-Men's events:... , Wrestling Wrestling at the Summer Olympics Wrestling has been contested at the Summer Olympic Games since the sport was introduced in the ancient Olympic Games in 708 BC. When the modern Olympic Games resumed in Athens in 1896, wrestling became a focus of the Games, with the exception of the 1900 Summer Olympics when wrestling did not... |
Boccia Boccia at the Summer Paralympics Boccia has been contested at the Summer Paralympics since the 1984 Games in New York and Stoke Mandeville. Five boccia events were held at those games, two for men, two for women, and one mixed event where men and women competed together. Since then, all boccia events at the Paralympics have been... , Judo Judo at the Summer Paralympics Paralympic judo has been contested at the Summer Paralympic Games since 1988. The sport is restricted to visually impaired competitors. Men's and women's events are held in various weight classes, just like judo at the Summer Olympics... , Powerlifting Powerlifting at the Summer Paralympics Paralympic powerlifting has been competed at every Summer Paralympics since 1984. Weightlifting had been on the Paralympic program since 1964, however after the 1992 Games the IPC decided to drop weightlifting and hold powerlifting events only... , Table tennis Table tennis at the Summer Paralympics Paralympic table tennis has been competed at every Summer Paralympic Games since they were first held in 1960. Men and women compete in singles and team events in ten different classes according to the extent of their disability.... , Volleyball Volleyball at the Summer Paralympics Paralympic volleyball was first competed at the Summer Paralympic Games in 1976. That first year, the traditional standing form of volleyball was contested. At all subsequent games, sitting volleyball was held instead.... (sitting), Wheelchair fencing |
from 5,000 to 10,000 | |
| Greenwich Park Greenwich Park Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed , it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. It commands fine views over the River Thames, Isle of... |
Equestrian Equestrian at the Summer Olympics Equestrianism made its Summer Olympics debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. It disappeared until 1912, but has appeared at every Summer Olympic Games since. The current Olympic equestrian disciplines are Dressage, Eventing, and Jumping... , Modern pentathlon (riding, running) |
Equestrian | 23,000 (OG) 6,000 (PG) |
|
| North Greenwich Arena (The O2 arena) The O2 arena (London) The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest... |
Basketball (final), Gymnastics Gymnastics at the Summer Olympics Gymnastics events have been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. For 32 years, only men were allowed to compete. Beginning at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, women were allowed to compete in artistic... (artistic, trampolining) |
Wheelchair basketball Wheelchair basketball at the Summer Paralympics Wheelchair basketball has been contested at the Summer Paralympics since the 1960 Summer Paralympics in Rome.Winning the Paralympics is considered to be the highest honor in international wheelchair basketball, followed by the World Championships of the International Wheelchair Basketball... |
20,000 (OG) 18,000 (PG) |
|
| Royal Artillery Barracks Royal Artillery Barracks The Royal Artillery Barracks at Woolwich in South East London is the "home" of the Royal Artillery. It is famous for having the longest continuous building facade in the UK as well as for having the largest parade square of any UK barracks.-History:... |
Modern pentathlon (shooting), Shooting Shooting at the Summer Olympics Shooting sports have been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics except at the 1904 & 1928 editions.-Men's:... |
Archery Archery at the Summer Paralympics Para-archery has been contested at every Summer Paralympic Games since they were first held in 1960. Separate individual and team events are held for men and women. Archers are classified according to the extent of their disability, with separate individual events for each class.... , Shooting Shooting at the Summer Paralympics Paralympic shooting has been competed at the Summer Paralympic Games since 1976. Events include men's, women's, and mixed events using rifles and pistols.... |
7,500 (OG) 5,000 (PG) |
In the initial plan for the River Zone, a temporary 6,000 seat capacity facility to be called North Greenwich Arena 2 was to have been built alongside the O2 to host the badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
and rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
events. However, the cost led to alternatives being suggested, eventually leading to the cancellation of the arena and the transfer of its planned events to Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena
Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
instead.
Central Zone
The Central Zone will be formed out of all the remaining venues within Greater LondonGreater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. They are quite widely spread across central
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
and west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
:
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics 2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012... |
Paralympics 2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's... |
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| All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club , also known as the All-England Club, based at Aorangi Park, Wimbledon, London, England, is a private members club. It is best known as the venue for the Wimbledon Championships, the only Grand Slam tennis event still held on grass... |
Tennis Tennis at the Summer Olympics Tennis was part of the Summer Olympic Games program from the inaugural 1896 Summer Olympics, but was dropped after the 1924 Summer Olympics... |
— | 30,000 | |
| Earls Court Exhibition Centre Earls Court Exhibition Centre The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West... |
Volleyball Volleyball at the Summer Olympics Volleyball has been contested as an indoor sport at the Summer Olympic Games since 1964. Beach volleyball was introduced at the 1992 Games, and has been an official Olympic sport since 1996.-Origins:... (indoor) |
— | 15,000 | |
| Horse Guards Parade Horse Guards Parade Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London, at grid reference . It is the site of the annual ceremonies of Trooping the Colour, which commemorates the monarch's official birthday, and Beating Retreat.-History:... |
Volleyball (beach) | — | 15,000. | |
| Hyde Park Hyde Park, London Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine... |
Swimming (marathon), Triathlon Triathlon at the Summer Olympics Triathlon had its Summer Olympics debut at the 2000 Games, in Sydney, and has been contested since then. It is governed by the International Triathlon Union.-History:... |
— | 3,000. | |
| Lord's Cricket Ground Lord's Cricket Ground Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the... |
Archery Archery at the Summer Olympics Archery had its debut at the 1900 Summer Olympics and has been contested in 13 Olympiads. Eighty three different nations have appeared in the Olympic archery competitions, with France appearing the most often at 11 times. It is governed by the International Archery Federation... |
— | 6,500 (temporary) | |
| Marathon Course 2012 Olympic Marathon Course The 2012 Olympic Marathon Course will be used for both the men's and women's marathon races at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The course will circuit much of central London, starting and finishing in the Mall.- Original route description :... |
Athletics Athletics at the Summer Olympics Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. The athletics program traces its earliest roots to events used in the ancient Greek Olympics. The modern program now comprises track and field events, road running... (marathon) |
— | Not listed. | |
| Regent's Park Regent's Park Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden... |
Cycling (road) | – | Not listed. | |
| Wembley Arena Wembley Arena Wembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:... |
Badminton Badminton at the Summer Olympics Badminton had its debut at the 1992 Summer Olympics and has been contested in 5 Olympiads. 50 different nations have appeared in the Olympic badminton competitions, with 19 appearing all 5 times. It is governed by the Badminton World Federation.-History:... , Gymnastics (rhythmic) |
— | 6,000 | |
| Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007... |
Football Football at the Summer Olympics Association football, usually known simply as football or soccer, has been included in every Olympiad except 1896 and 1932 as a men's competition sport. Women's football was added to the official programme in 1996.-Early history:... (final) |
— | 90,000 |
Outside Greater London
Four of the venues will be outside Greater London:| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympics 2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012... |
Paralympics 2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's... |
|||
| Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... |
— | Road Cycling Cycling at the Summer Paralympics Cycling has been contested at every Summer Paralympic Games since the 1984 Summer Paralympics.-Classification:Cyclists are given a classification depending on the type and extent of their disability... |
||
| Dorney Lake Dorney Lake Dorney Lake is a purpose-built rowing lake in the United Kingdom. It is located at grid reference near the village of Dorney, Buckinghamshire, and near the towns of Windsor and Eton, close to the River Thames. The lake is privately owned and financed by Eton College, who have spent £17 million... |
Canoeing Canoeing at the Summer Olympics Canoeing and kayaking has been featured as a competition sport in the Summer Olympic Games since the 1936 Games in Berlin although it was a demonstration sport at the 1924 Games in Paris. There are two disciplines of canoeing in Olympic competition: slalom and sprint.Two styles of boats are... (sprint), Rowing Rowing at the Summer Olympics Rowing at the Summer Olympics has been part of the competition since the 1900 Summer Olympics. Rowing was on the program at the 1896 Summer Olympics but was cancelled due to bad weather. Only men were allowed to compete until the women's events were introduced at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal... |
Rowing | 30,000 maximum (OG) 6,000 (PG) |
|
| Hadleigh Farm Hadleigh Farm Hadleigh Farm is the venue for the mountain biking competition in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and 2012 Paralympic Games and is located at Hadleigh within the borough of Castle Point, near Southend in the county of Essex .-Site:... |
Cycling (mountain biking) | — | 20,000 (includes 3,000 seating) | |
| Lee Valley White Water Centre | Canoeing (slalom) | — | 12,000 maximum | |
| Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is a centre for the sport of sailing on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England, United Kingdom. The academy building is located in Osprey Quay on the northern tip of the island, and the waters of Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay,... |
Sailing Sailing at the Summer Olympics Sailing has been one of the Olympic sports since the Games of the I Olympiad, held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. Despite being scheduled in the first Olympic program, the races were canceled due to severe weather conditions... |
Sailing Sailing at the Summer Paralympics Sailing has been an official part of the Summer Paralympic Games since 2000, after being a demonstration sport in 1996. The International Association for Disabled Sailing is responsible for coordinating the event with the International Paralympic Committee and the hosts.... |
17,400 (PG) |
Football stadia
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
shown in the table below. As stated above, the Football final will be at the 90,000 seat Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
:
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Coventry Stadium (Ricoh Arena) Ricoh Arena The Ricoh Arena , home to Coventry City F.C., is a stadium complex situated in the Rowleys Green district of the city of Coventry, England containing a 32,609 seater football stadium, a 6,000 square-metre exhibition hall, a hotel, a leisure club, and a casino... (Coventry Coventry Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although... ) |
Football | 32,500 | |
| Hampden Park Hampden Park Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland... (Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... ) |
Football | 52,000 | |
| Millennium Stadium Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage... (Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... ) |
Football | 74,600 | |
| Old Trafford Old Trafford Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:... (Manchester Manchester Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater... ) |
Football | 76,000 | |
| Sports Direct Arena (St James' Park) St James' Park St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'... (Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... ) |
Football | 52,000 |
The Olympic and Paralympic village
- The village will have 17,320 beds and provide each athlete with 16m² floor space.
- There will be 3,300 apartments
- Each apartment will have a TV, internet access, and a private courtyard.
- The dining hall will cater for 5,500 athletes at a time.
Difficulties experienced by developers Lend Lease
Lend Lease Corporation
Lend Lease Group is a global property and infrastructure company headquartered in Sydney, Australia...
in raising funds for the village (the single largest project in the 2012 scheme) resulted in the scale of the village being reduced by "almost 25%". This was achieved predominantly by providing accommodation for London-based athletes only. Those competing in events outside London were to be housed elsewhere. Following the athletes' experiences in Beijing 2008 (and in particular through comments concerning athletes' welfare by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
) this compromise was to be reconsidered whilst pressure built for the finance deal to be resolved.
Transport and infrastructure
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, an aspect of the bid which scored poorly in the IOC's initial evaluation, will see numerous improvements, including the expansion of the East London Line
East London Line
The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London...
, upgrades to the Docklands Light Railway
Docklands Light Railway
The Docklands Light Railway is an automated light metro or light rail system opened on 31 August 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London...
and the North London Line
North London Line
The North London Line is a railway line which passes through the inner suburbs of north London, England. Its route is a rough semicircle from the south west to the north east, avoiding central London. The line is owned and maintained by Network Rail...
, and the new "Olympic Javelin" service. It is almost impossible to assess how many of the proposed improvements would have happened in any case. The games were won without a commitment to deliver Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
by 2012. This is the largest transport project proposed for London, and it was widely assumed in the early stages of the bidding process that the games could not be won without a guarantee that it would be completed before the games.
During the games 80% of athletes will be within 20 minutes of their events and 97% will be within 30 minutes of their events. Together, all the planned National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
, light rail, and underground services (excluding Crossrail) are expected to deliver around 240 trains every hour.
Further details
- 93% of training venues are to be within 30 minutes of the athletes' village.
- The aim is for 90% of venues to be served by three or more forms of public transport.
- There will be two major park and ridePark and ridePark and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
sites off the M25M25 motorwayThe M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
with a combined capacity of 12,000 cars, within 25 minutes of the Olympic Park. - There are 9,000 planned park and ride spaces to be made available at Ebbsfleet where spectators can board a 10-minute javelin service to the Olympic Park. This is the same station where continental spectators travelling by Eurostar will join the Olympic Javelin to the Olympic Park.
- It is predicted that on event days 78% of spectators are likely to travel from within London and 22% from the rest of the UK and Europe.
- Organisers estimate 80% of visitors and staff of the Games will use rail services to reach the Olympic Park.
- Low or no-emission vehicles will be used to transport Olympic athletes and officials.
Changes to the original bid
Regent's ParkRegent's Park
Regent's Park is one of the Royal Parks of London. It is in the north-western part of central London, partly in the City of Westminster and partly in the London Borough of Camden...
was planned to host the softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
events, but the IOC chose not to run those events.
Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, was included as a football venue in the IOC questionnaire submitted in 2004, but excluded in the final candidature file.
On 7 June 2006, a revised masterplan for the Olympic Park was announced. The most significant change was the relocation of the volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
events from a new Olympic Arena to the existing venue of Earls Court
Earls Court Exhibition Centre
The Earls Court Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre, conference and event venue located in west London, United Kingdom in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea . It is the largest exhibition venue in central London. It is served by two underground stations, Earl's Court and West...
, which is several miles to the west. The revision also involved the re-organisation of the park shuffling the Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, Fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, Tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and Hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
venues in addition to the Press and Broadcast Centre. This move was designed to remove the need for the relocation of 80 businesses and to provide a more coherent legacy for the sporting venues.
At least two of the venues to be developed outside central London have been relocated from the original bid sites. The Broxbourne canoe venue was marginally re-sited following the discovery (in October 2007) that the proposed Spitalbrook site was contaminated, while in February 2008 the Weald Country Park
Weald Country Park
Weald Country Park is a 700-year-old, 500 acre country park in South Weald in the borough of Brentwood in the English county of Essex. It is on the north-east fringe of Greater London....
was deemed insufficiently challenging for elite mountain biking. It was announced in August 2008 that the revised venue would be at Hadleigh Farm
Hadleigh Farm
Hadleigh Farm is the venue for the mountain biking competition in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and 2012 Paralympic Games and is located at Hadleigh within the borough of Castle Point, near Southend in the county of Essex .-Site:...
, also in Essex.
In August 2009, Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
was withdrawn from the list of venues for the football competition, due to uncertainty over Aston Villa's redevelopment plans for the stadium.
External links
- Olympic Park venues at London 2012
- View the Olympic Park on Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...
- Olympic And Paralympic Venues in London - accessibility at Inclusive London