2012 Olympic Equestrian Events to Take Place in Royal Park
The equestrian events in London’s 2012 Olympic Games will take place in a Royal park after Olympic chiefs this week gave the green light to a temporary Cross Country course in Greenwich Park despite strong opposition.
Olympic Rings
Dressage and Show Jumping are set to take place in front of the Queen’s House, and are expected to draw crowds of over 20,000.
According to the Bexley Times:
Michael Goldman, a Greenwich resident who has campaigned against the event and collected 2,720 signatures on a petition against the use of the park, said: “The choice was made largely because this World Heritage Site would look good on television.
“The fact that it is a World Heritage Site is a compelling reason not to choose it.”
A spokesman for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) claimed Greenwich Park would suffer only three weeks of closure, and only lower branches of relatively few trees would require removal.
Many people have voiced concerns over the choice of these locations, due to the potential for damage to the beautiful surroundings, but few can deny the glorious backdrop this choice will provide for the 2012 equestrian events.
Organising a cross country event in a city is difficult at the best of times, and it would seem sensible to use the open spaces the Royal Parks provide, or to relocate the equestrian events away from the City, as many Olympic cities have in the past. However, what is certain is that it will be great for the equestrian competitors to be involved with the throng of the Olympic community for 2012 rather than the situation we saw in Beijing, where events took place far removed from the rest of their compatriots in other sports.
Got a comment on this story? Use the box below to voice it!
I personally feel that this is an excellent idea. Equestrian sports have always been a big thing with the royal family, so hosting it infront of the Queens house ties in nicely. Besdies, where else in london would you find a space large enough for this sort of event?
I live not far away from the park and use it all the time, has any one thought that we dont want the Equestrian event held in the park for all the roads that will not cope with more fraffic, we as local people WILL FIND IT INPOSSIBLE TO LEAVE OUR HOMES AND TRAVEL ANY WHERE.
yours
Brenda Reed
I think it is great that the horse events will be held in Royal Park London. It means that people do not have to leave London to enjoy all aspects of the games. To Brenda Reed I say get a life and enjoy the games it is only a fortnight of your life, 14 days. The benefits it will give to London will outweigh any shortfalls in inconvience
Jenny Thurbon
I agree Jenny, one could always book a holiday for the fortnight and avoid the whole thing! Also, if you choose to live in the busiest city in the UK, then you shouldn’t really be grumbling about traffic and – well – how busy it is. A lot of other cities would rip your arms off if offered the Olympic Games, so stop complaining about it.
This is bullying and vandalism on another level! A horses arse of an idea blundered into by stupid people as daft as the idiots who support it. My heart sinks at Coe & Co’s arrogance and money wasting!!
Royal Greenwich Park is a tiny and fragile World Heritage Site and needs continuous protection from commercial land grabbers and abusers. It is not a showground or events venue and should certainly never be closed and trashed!!!
To be world class, equestrian events need space and access for the competitors and organisers as well as for the hundreds of thousands who support it.
Take it to the country and build a permanent legacy we can all be proud of.
That is all fair comment. Why have the Olympics in over-crowded, congested London in any case?
I THINK HOLDING THE EQUESTRIAN EVENT IN GREENWICH PARK AND BLACKHEATH IS FANTASTIC I LIVE CLOSE BY THE PARK AND USE IT REGULARLY. I SHARE THIS WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL FACILITY WITH THOUSNADS OF TOURISTS FROM ALL OVER THE UK AND THE WORLD EVERY DAY .
THIS PARK IS VERY CLOSE TO THE HEART OF THE OLYMPICS ACROS THE RIVER AND THERE ARE GREAT TRANSPORT LINKS . IT WILL BE A STUNNING VENUE WITH FANTASTIC BACK DROPS . MUCH BETTER THAN THE STERILE BORING VENUES OF OTHER EQUESTRIAN EVENTS AND WILL SERVE TOO SHOWCASE GREENWICH AND LONDON AS A BEAUTIFUL CITY AS A LOCAL RESIDENT I AM PROUD THAT THE OLYMPICS WILL COME HERE TO GREENWICH PARK