Popular Searches:

Keep up to date

Sign up today for exclusive offers and incredible experiences you won’t want to miss at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Sign up now

50 DAYS TO GO QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK COUNTDOWN

50 DAYS TO GO QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK COUNTDOWN

Press Release 07/06/2013

The London Legacy Development Corporation today marked 50 days to go until the anniversary of London 2012 Games and the start of the phased opening of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The anniversary weekend will be celebrated with two events on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park – Open East Festival in the north of the Park and the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games in the former Olympic Stadium.

Ahead of the anniversary weekend the Summer Events Series will see some of music’s biggest names playing in the north of the Park from 29 June.

The Summer Events Series includes Hard Rock Calling featuring Kasabian and Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band and Yahoo! Wireless headlined by Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake. Homegrown talent will also feature, with appearances from serial award-winner Emeli Sande and Rita Ora – tickets are still available.

Areas of the north of the Park will start to open to the public from 29 July. It is expected that residents living closest to the Park will form the bulk of the crowds until the Park fully opens in spring 2014.

Visitors will be able to use the Copper Box and the newly-built Timber Lodge containing Unity Kitchen Café and two new community events spaces and Tumbling Bay playground, as well as experience the parklands that proved such a hit with people last year.

The majority of the Park remains a construction site as the Legacy Corporation continues with its ‘Clear, Connect, Complete’ programme to remove Games-time overlay, finish the venues and connect the Park to the surrounding areas.

Concerts and other ticketed events, including Open East Festival and Lollibop will be taking place in the north of the Park – only ticketholders will be able to get access to the Park during these events.

Dennis Hone, chief executive, London Legacy Development Corporation, said:

“We want to recapture the magic of the Games one year on. That is why we are opening certain areas of the Park ahead of schedule – to give people a glimpse of what they can expect to see when it fully re-opens in spring next year. We’ve got a fantastic line-up of events to celebrate the anniversary, from athletics to children’s events that the whole family can enjoy.”

Significant progress has been made since the last milestone before the phased re-opening – both in terms of physical and social transformation.

Key achievements since 100 days to go:

  • The future of all eight permanent venues on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has been secured, following the signing of a deal with iCITY for the Press and Broadcast Centres
  • Aquatics Centre temporary seating stands have been completely removed revealing the intended design of the building
  • Rugby World Cup 2015 confirmed matches will be held at the former Olympic Stadium.
  • Preliminary plans for Chobham Manor – the Park’s first neighbourhood consisting of around 850 homes – submitted to the local planning authority.

Notes to Editors:

  • Construction on the Park has already brought over a thousand jobs to the area, 44 per cent of workers are from the local area and there are 60 apprentices on site – the highest number on any London site.
  • Later this year the first families will begin moving into 2,818 homes, including 1,379 affordable homes on the site of the Athletes’ Village, now known as East Village.
  • Chobham Academy will also open this September, with a further three schools planned to be built on the Park over the coming years.

Full Summer events series line up:

Hard Rock Calling (29-30 June) headlined by Kasabian / Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band www.hardrockcalling.co.uk

Yahoo! Wireless (12-14 July) headlined by Justin Timberlake / Jay Zwww.wirelessfestival.co.uk

Summer Stampede: (6 July) – Mumford & Sons www.mumfordandsons.com

Electric Daisy Carnival: (20 July) www.electricdaisycarnival.com/

Lollibop (16-18 August) www.lollibopfestival.co.uk/

Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games: (26-28 July) bringing athletics back to the Stadium this summer www.britishathletics.org.uk/british-athletics-series/sainsburys-anniversary-games/

Copper Box: (27 July) – first venue to open and new home to the London Lions 

Open East Festival: (27-28 July) www.QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk

Prudential Ride London: (3-4 August) largest cycling event in the countrywww.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/

Festival of Disability Sport (7 September) www.QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk

Transformation fact file

  • 2,274,000 hours worked on site up to the end of May
  • 1,355 people on site at peak
  • 60 apprentices in total (97 per cent from the local area)
  • 250,000m3 of soil has been re-used across the site which equates to 312,500 tonnes of material
  • 10 temporary bridges have been moved and reinstated by the time the Park is complete
  • The number of new trees planted on the site to date is 1,380 and there will be 4,300 in total

Transformation – Milestones

  • Copper Box – first venue to open on 27 July, 2013
  • North of the Park – Timber Lodge including Unity Kitchen Cafe, Tumbling Bay playground, and parklands opening to the public from 29 July
  • Aquatics centre – original design revealed following removal of temporary external structures
  • Stadium transformation works have been granted planning permission
  • Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre – New tennis courts and hockey pitches are on target for completion in late 2013
  • South Park – transformation works on landscaping has started
  • Removal of temporary bridges to create permanent landscaping
  • Northern retail access route relocated this will become Waterden Road.

Transformation – What next?

  • Lee Valley VeloPark – Cycle circuit and BMX conversion works to be completed
  • Stadium – Following planning permission, works to commence on site later in the year
  • East Marsh – Football pitches reinstated
  • Aquatics Centre – Completion of internal fit out and external landscaping.

Reuse, recycle, re-locate

  • 3,000 seats from the Basketball Arena have been reused in the permanent hockey seating at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.

Travel Information: Getting home after your event – check your options

Transport operators will be running some additional services, but it is important you plan ahead.  All the latest travel information is available at www.tfl.gov.uk/journeyplanner

The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will begin to open from July 2013 and will be fully open from spring 2014, it will be a whole new part of the city to enjoy and will provide jobs and homes for east London.