Mixed Use Coming to London's East End via Ikea

Swedish furniture corporation Ikea is building a 1,500-unit mixed use development near the Olympic village in London's East End.

it is here, at Sugar House Lane in Stratford, that Inter Ikea, the investment and construction arm of the Swedish furniture giant, has bought a 13-acre site. Within the next few years, Inter Ikea will have built a mixed-use development consisting of office and retail space as well as lots of Ikea housing – some 1,500 units or so – and it has already started working on a master plan for the site.

Peter Andrews, the chief executive of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) , says that he fully expects it to become "a Covent Garden in the East End". A retail, housing and leisure hub abutting the Olympic Park, this Ikea village will be one of the things making the new East End a place in which people will be proud to live, as well as a tourist destination to die for.

Home Swede home: A new 'village' on the 2012 Olympics site is to be designed by Ikea
The Independent
July 30, 2010

London Bike Sharing System Opens

A new bike sharing system has begun its first phase of operations in London. The effort is part of a plan to increase cycling in the city and to ease transportation throughout the city during the 2012 Summer Olympics.

The initiative, which follows similar projects in cities including Paris and Montreal, aims to ease overcrowding on London's commuter network, with 400 bicycle "docking stations" from Notting Hill in the west to the Tower of London in the east.

"The new system could transform the way Londoners as well as tourists navigate the city," said a spokesman for Transport for London (TFL), the capital's main travel authority.

Nicknamed "Boris's Bikes" after cycle-mad Mayor Boris Johnson, the system is free for the first half hour, although the rate rises steeply if the cycles are used for longer periods, with a maximum daily charge of 50 pounds ($78).

Hire scheme aims to get Londoners on bikes
Reuters
July 29, 2010

Special Olympic Lanes Cause Worry About Traffic During 2012 Olympics

Special lanes will be closed to public traffic during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Some commuters are already worried about the traffic congestion likely to pervade throughout the city during the event.

The 60 miles of lanes will be in addition to the Olympic Route Network (ORN) which will be roadwork-free and cover 2.5% of the capital's roads.

The ORN will be used by 82,000 people and cost about £25m.

The lanes will total nearly 60 miles in length, while the ORN, which will include measures such as closing side roads, banning turns and altering traffic light sequences, will comprise of more than 100 miles in London and about 170 miles outside London.

Games Lanes' for athletes at 2012 London Olympics
BBC
July 29, 2010

Brazil 'On Track' In Face of 2014 World Cup Deadlines

Despite some concerns about stadium readiness, officials in Brazil claim that the country's infrastructure and preparations are on track to meet deadlines for the 2014 World Cup.

Brazil, like South Africa, will use the quadrennial soccer championship to remake the physical infrastructure of the country, investing almost $19 billion in projects in the 12 host cities. Silva said $6.5 billion would be spent to upgrade public transportation, with $3.1 billion to be spent on airports. The federal government will pay for 70 percent of the total investment, with provincial and municipal governments covering another 8 percent.

“The World Cup is a national project,” he said. “This makes preparing for the World Cup somewhat complex.”

Brazil on Track for 2014 Despite Early Criticism of Stadium Plan
The New York Times
July 28, 2010

Airport Capacity a Concern in Brazil Ahead of 2014

A new report warns that Brazil's airport capacity is too low to handle the expected 146 million travelers entering the country by 2014. Airport expansion is one of the priorities of the government ahead of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

For years, infrastructure bottlenecks have been one of Brazil's biggest problems as growing auto sales and airline travel, along with a furious expansion in commodities industries, have put strains on ports, highways and airports.

Brazil is already under fire for being behind on construction of stadiums and other World Cup infrastructure.

A report by the consulting firm McKinsey and Co said at the close of 2009, seven of Brazil's 20 principal airports were struggling with overcrowding in both passenger areas and plane berths that frequently led to delays or canceled flights.

Brazil airport capacity lags as World Cup looms
Reuters via Fox News
July 27, 2010

Favela Clearance and Renovation Planned in Rio

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes has announced a broad plan to clear and clean up some of the city's favelas. The dirt road slums would be replaced with paved roads, properly built homes connected to water and electricity -- a project expected to take roughly 10 years.

The plan would affect over 260,000 households and would cost over $4.5bn (£2.9bn), Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes said.

Hundreds of Rio's favelas will be re-built and 123 of the most "at risk" slums will be torn down.

Approximately 13,000 families in the 123 areas to be cleared would be relocated, Mr Paes said.

Rio plans to clear slums ahead of 2016 Olympic Games
BBC
July 27, 2010

Logistical Challenges Create Harsh Reality for Brazil's 2014 World Cup

Brazil is deep in its preparations for the 2014 World Cup. But logistical challenges -- like the amount of hotel rooms in smaller host cities -- remain unsolved.

But holding a World Cup spread out over 12 cities in a continent-sized country will be anything but easy with challenges that include renovating and building stadiums, adhering to World Cup standards and making sure airports around the country are ready to handle the volume of fans, athletes and officials expected for the Copa Mundial.

Some host cities, such as Manaus in the Amazon, have a serious shortage of hotel rooms.

It will be the first World Cup held in Brazil since 1950 and the first in South America since Argentina hosted the event in 1978. In the intervening years, the scope of the event has changed tremendously.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/07/26/1747820/for-next-world-cup-brazil-gets.html#ixzz0vLYiMiVn

For next World Cup, Brazil gets the ball rolling
The Miami Herald
July 26, 2010

East End Regeneration in Question as Economy Worsens

Regenerating London's East End has been a major element of the city's 2012 Olympic plans. But with tight economic times, some worry that the $14.3 billion Summer Olympics will distract too much money away from the troubled neighborhood.

"The most enduring legacy," Britain promised in the bid, would be "the regeneration of an entire community for the direct benefit of everyone who lives there."

Yet while building progresses on schedule in the future Olympic Park—Europe's biggest construction site and one of the biggest regeneration projects in British history—locals fear the broad urban renewal so central to the bid could become a lesser priority. Since winning the right to stage the Games five years ago, London has gone through a deep recession and a collapse in the real-estate market that hasn't spared the Olympics. Private funding that was supposed to help pay for the athletes' village, for instance, couldn't be found, saddling the public purse with the entire construction cost.

East London Hopes for an Olympic Revival
The Wall Street Journal
July 27, 2010

West Ham Closer to Locking Down Olympic Stadium as Future Home

West Ham, a team in the English Premier League, is hoping to lock down a commitment to move their home field to the newly constructed Olympic Stadium in London after the 2012 Olympics are over.

The Premier League club believe switching home grounds will cost them £125 million and have asked the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), who are responsible for the future of the London 2012 venues, for a six-month "lock-out" to hold exclusive talks on the deal.

And, two years before the Olympics start, Brady said: "We'll hear by the end of the month whether we've got it [the lock-out deal].

London 2012 Olympics: West Ham confident over stadium deal
Telegraph
July 27, 2010

Concern and Hope for 2012's Legacy in London

With two years to go before London opens its 2012 Summer Olympics, some locals are wary about the costs and uncertain about the benefits. Sebastian Coe, London organizing committee president, argues the Games will create long-term benefits for the city and the nation.

Organizers also expect to use all of London's majestic sites as telegenic backdrops. The marathon course will take runners past Buckingham Palace and cyclists will race past Trafalgar Square. Wimbledon and its famed Centre Court will stage tennis matches.

But these Olympics aren't only about sending pretty pictures around the world, Coe said, or about providing the best atmosphere for athletes.

His vision is broader.

"The greatest driver of social cohesion in most of our communities is sport," Coe said. "The way the Games have galvanized communities the length and breadth of the country is extraordinary."

Two years before the London Olympics, the focus is global . . . and local
Los Angeles Times
July 26, 2010

London's Olympics A Sporting Catalyst for Couch Potatoes?

London's 2012 Olympics are looked upon as a n opportunity to regenerate part of the city -- and to inspire a new generation of physically active Londoners. Some doubt that sports-centric goal can be met.

Britain's much-trumpeted Olympic legacy following the 2012 Games could amount to little more than the regeneration of a small pocket of east London. With just two years to go before the £9bn Olympic Games become the focus of world attention, questions are being asked about whether they will be able to persuade a nation of couch potatoes to put down the remote and pull on their trainers or trunks.

Despite venue and stadium construction being on budget and ahead of schedule, officials have admitted that there is a "big gap" in plans to increase nationwide participation on the back of the event. Promises of an Olympic legacy were central to London's winning the bid in 2005. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt, said yesterday that there was no specific funding set aside for the Games to be used as a catalyst for a surge in sports participation.

What are we getting out of the Olympic Games?
The Independent
July 25, 2010

Sochi's $6 Billion Olympics

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are expected to cost more than $6 billion, according to Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak. Of that, roughly $2.9 billion will be provided by the government.

Re-settlement of town residents whose houses are to be demolished and lands withdrawn during construction works will cost an extra 12 billion rubles (395.6 million dollars).

He added this was only a preliminary estimation at the moment, as "a great number" of problems remains in place, including customs and border control issues.

Sochi Olympics may cost 6 bln U.S. dollars: official
Xinhua
July 23, 2010

South Africa's World Cup Challenges As Lessons for Brazil 2014

This review of South Africa's World Cup looks at a few key operational challenges faced by the country and how those challenges can inform Brazil's preparations for the 2014 World Cup. Areas of review include FIFA, the Local Organizing Committee, the stadia, and transportation.

Given its geography and state of development, Brazil will face many of the same challenges as South Africa. One way of counteracting the huge distances involved would be to base group games in clusters of local cities; that way the ludicrous distances faced by some teams in South Africa would be shortened. FIFA's Jerome Valcke has already said the plan is to divide Brazil's 12 host cities into four regions to reduce travel times for fans. Closer scrutiny by FIFA of promised transport improvements would be beneficial for all. Earlier this month, LOC chairman Teixiera described Brazil’s problems as “airports, airports, airports". The $5.5billion President Lula this week promised to improve them will help, but FIFA needs to make sure the Brazilian government deliver.

Analysis - What Brazil 2014 World Cup Organizers can Learn From South Africa
World Football Insider
July 23, 2010

Local Hands Building London's Olympic Park?

This video from the BBC looks at whether early promises to hire locals to build London's Olympic Park have been kept.

Organisers say they've been true to their word with schemes to train local people.

However, the feeling among some residents in east London is that the jobs just haven't materialised.

Has 2012 delivered on local Olympic jobs?
BBC
July 22, 2010

Citywide Ping Pong Part of London's Olympic Warm-Up

In the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympics, the city is hoping to inspire its people into a healthier existence by placing 100 ping pong tables throughout the city for free use.

It's all to do with fun and fitness. London is hosting the Olympics in 2012 and wants people to get in shape. Ping pong is an easy way to start. The intention is to get a million people playing more sport by 2012. Ping pong is a perfect entree: Sport England's latest Active People Survey indicated a 9,900-person increase in adults who reported playing table tennis at least once a week.

Play Ping Pong Across London
Treehugger
July 23, 2010

East End a Bright Side of Dark London Olympics

The Economist rips into London's plans for the 2012 Olympics, which it has been against from the get-go. But despite the events being what the paper sees as wasteful and expensive, there is some potential for a positive: the regeneration of London's East End.

Its task is to create a place where people will want to live, work and play in a part of town that people have been eager to escape, where jobs have been hard to come by and where welcoming, wide, green spaces are too rare. There are hopeful precedents in the new towns built after the second world war, the garden cities of a century ago and in the private estates built in west London in the 18th and 19th centuries.

There are voices calling for much more social housing in the Olympic Park. It is true that London is short of homes for poor people. But concentrated social housing goes hand in hand with joblessness and enduring poverty: too much of the first will condemn the area to too much of the second and third. To imitate the success of the new towns and garden cities, and to generate jobs and encourage prosperity, the park will need a mix of homes as well as a good swathe of greenery. Get this right, and the games might almost be worthwhile.

Field of dreams
The Economist
July 22, 2010

$12 Billion Boost

The South African government has announced that hosting the World Cup has boosted the country's economy by about 93 billion Rand (~$12 billion USD).

The South African government pumped R30 billion into transport and telecommunications infrastructure and 10 stadiums, which created 66 000 new construction jobs and saw R7.4bn paid over in wages, with R2.2bn going to low-income households.

Upgrading trains and roads took care of R13bn, while R20bn was spent on airports development and R3.5bn on renovations at ports of entry. Another R1.5bn was spent on broadcast technology and R1.3bn on safety and security, including the deployment of 40 000 extra police.

Maseko rejected predictions that World Cup stadiums would become white elephants in the wake of the tournament. "During the bidding process all host cities were made to submit plans about how the stadiums would be used after the tournament," he said.

World Cup's R93bn boost for SA
Pretoria News
July 15, 2010

Japan's 2018/2022 Bid Called 'Balanced'

A group of FIFA inspectors currently traveling around the World have given Japan's bid for either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup a positive review.

The group of inspectors from football's governing body made the comments as they wrapped up a four-day visit to Japan, the first leg of their two-month tour of nine candidates vying to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

"We must say that the bid is a very balanced project, mixing football traditions, modern stadiums plus new technology with eco projects and integration with the world," said the team's leader, Harold Mayne-Nicholls.

Japan World Cup bid 'very balanced', says FIFA
AFP via Asiaone News
July 22, 2010

China's 2026 World Cup Hopes Rely on Asian Failure in 2022

China's hopes to host the 2026 World Cup depends firstly on the outcome of the international race to host the 2022 World Cup. Four nations from the same geographical region are in the running for 2022, and should one of them win, FIFA's continental rotation rule would disqualify another Asian region host for the 2026 tournament.

Wei Di, the head of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), returned from South Africa last week and said he was keen to bring international soccer’s showpiece event to the world’s most populous country for the first time.

South Korea, Australia, Qatar and Japan have, however, already expressed their intention to bid for 2022 and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Bin Hammam said his priority was the success of one of those.

China World Cup bid relies on failure of other Asian bids
Reuters via Taipei Times
July 22, 2010

Officials Still Unsure About Sao Paulo Stadium Pick for 2014

Which of the city's stadia will play host during the 2014 World Cup is still in question, as upgrades to the Morumbi Stadium are still progressing too slowly for officials to get behind it. The city has its eyes on hosting the opening match, but capacities at local stadia -- even those under renovation -- may not be enough to accommodate the event's requirements.

City officials and members of the World Cup organizing committee met Wednesday but failed to come up with a stadium proposal to send to FIFA, although they insist the goal is for the city to host the competition's opening match.

No decision yet on Sao Paulo stadium for 2014 WCup
Associate Press
July 21, 2010