- Transport – Roads, London Bridge, Canada Water
- Southwark Experience – Look and feel and culture
- Legacy
- Engaging Young People
- A documentary film
Minutes:
Jonathon Toy (Head of Community Safety and Enforcement) and Rachel Roe (Acting Arts Manager) outlined some of the projects and opportunities around the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics (the Games).
The Olympic torch would land in the UK on 18 May, followed by a 70 day tour around the country. It would arrive in London on 21 July and pass through Southwark on 26 July.
- The Olympic opening ceremony would take place on 27 July 2012.
- The Paralympic opening ceremony would take place on 29 August 2012.
During the Games an extra 4 million visitors were expected, making about 20 million extra journeys. The majority of the trips would be made by train (overground and underground).
The Games were being promoted as a public transport event and people were encouraged to use the network facilities. At the busiest stations such as Canada Water or London Bridge a delay of 30 minutes was anticipated on top of normal journey times. Transport for London (TfL) and partners were working towards reducing demand pressures as much as possible.
There would be maps of alternative routes and ambassadors to assist travellers.
The look and feel aspect was designed to ensure that Southwark looks its best during the Games. The Greater London Assembly (GLA) had funded two programmes to dress the streets of Southwark. There would be a series of cultural events over the summer including dance, theatre and a library “readathon”. Many events would take place in Bermondsey and along the river.
There was also a capital legacy fund of £2 million. 40 submissions were made and 10 projects were agreed which were now being implemented. These included a disability pool hoist for swimmers and a new BMX track in Burgess Park. The projects were aimed at increasing participation in sport and healthy activities.
In response to questions, Jonathan explained that Olympic dressing was quite prescriptive and Southwark had to use the 2012 logo and branding. London Underground would be providing extra provision to assist disabled passengers.
Sean Wood (Southwark College lecturer) explained that five Olympic themed films had been made by local young people. The documentaries had been viewed by a Southwark panel consisting of Members and officers. The two short films screened to the community council were considered the best.
The young people responsible for making the films were: Brooke O’Connor, Zara Watfa, Karishma Mongal, Joaquim Miranda, Saule Mickeviciute, Ese Ehimhen, Pedro Correia, Antony Evans, Ruth Boyd, Polly Atkins, Lionel Cooke, Jihad Berohou and Bryan Fernandez.