The Venues for the 2012 London Olympics: Part 1 of 3

The venues for the 2012 London Games are too interesting, beautiful, and historic to try to cover in one blog post. This post is the first of three parts dedicated to the noteworthy venues for the 2012 Summer Olympiad.

Olympic venues are probably one of my favorite topics. For two weeks these venues become quite familiar to us fans and the athletes. Beijing gave us the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. London is offering several venues–both old and new–which have the chance to become memorable fan favorites.

With other previous Olympic venues now in ruins (think Sarajevo, Athens), Olympic host cities must now be committed to making the Olympic Games sustainable. They must build what is needed, use other structures which already exist, and be committed to making sure that the venues will be used after the Games conclude, or materials from the venues must be used in future permanent construction. The London Organizing Committee has made sure that it incorporated these strategies, as is evident from its website:

“All our venues are designed to ensure that all the athletes perform to the best of their ability whilst pushing the boundaries of sustainability knowledge and design. From the start we planned with legacy in mind. Where possible we have used existing venues….Where there is a legacy need we have built new venues…and where there is no need, we have built temporary venues….”

Just like its medal design, the London Olympic Committee has designed the 2012 Olympic venues to be a blend of traditional and modern, while also incorporating some of England’s most breathtaking landscapes. For those who love history or the English countryside, the London Games will be a treat to watch. For those like my sister, who love all things English (especially anything related to Tudor history), these Olympics will no doubt be quite exciting.

The Established, Historic, and Scenic Venues

Wembley Stadium

Images of these venues make me want to munch on digestive biscuits, sip a cup of Earl Grey, and re-watch “Chariots of Fire.” Some of the more established venues are familiar to us, such as Wembley Stadium, North Greenwich Arena and the grounds of Wimbledon.

Wembley Stadium, the main soccer venue, is the crème de la crème of stadiums. It’s the second largest stadium in Europe, serving as England’s national stadium and the venue for various football, rugby, and other athletic events. It’s size and sophisticated design would almost have been an adequate venue for the opening and closing ceremonies, but since football is England’s national sport, it makes sense to use it as the main venue for footie.

London’s O2 Arena, which during the Olympics will be called the North Greenwich Arena

North Greenwich Arena will host the gymnastics and trampoline events. The arena is in London’s O2, a complex in Southeast London which includes a cinema, the arena, an exhibition center, and restaurants. Without offending any Englishman, one might say it’s the Madison Square Garden of London, as it is a popular venue for sporting events and concerts. A venue in such a busy, entertaining hub makes perfect sense to be the center stage for gymnastics.

While I’m not totally convinced that tennis belongs in the Olympics, one aspect of the sport make it interesting for the Olympics is the playing surface! Because tennis is primarily played on clay, grass, and hard courts, the location of an Olympic Games usually determines the playing surface. For example, Aussies and Americans love their hard courts, so Olympics held in Sydney, and Atlanta featured a hard court surface for Olympic tennis. If the Olympics were held in Paris, Madrid, or Rome, the preferred surface of choice would be clay. For the English, it is without question grass, and therefore Wimbledon will be the site of this year’s Olympic tennis.

How often can athletes not only say they’ve competed at an Olympics, but also competed on the grounds of a royal palace? Or a sporting venue dating back to the early 1800?s? Historic picturesque venues such as Hampton Court Palace, Lord’s Cricket Ground, Greenwich Park, and Eton Dorney provide scenes that are depict England. It’s when I see photos of these venues that I hear the singing of “For He’s an Englishman” in my head, one of the notable songs from the great film “Chariots of Fire.”

Hampton Court Palace

These four venues exude England’s rich history, particularly that which pertains to its monarchies, nobility, and sporting throughout the centuries. Hampton Court Palace will be the stage for the start and finish of the cycling team trials. The historic jewel has had many famous residents, most notably Henry VIII. Known to be a sports enthusiast, we can only think that the controversial monarch would be pleased to be able to watch an Olympic event from the comfort of his own home. It sure beats watching a beheading!

Lord’s Cricket Ground won’t be the venue for cricket, because this sport has not been allowed re-admittance to the Olympic Games. Instead, the historic sporting venue that was constructed in 1814 will host the 2012 archery events. It’s Victorian-Era Pavilion, along with the intimate stands surrounding a lush green, field provide a wonderful setting with a vintage feel–perfect for a sport dating back to the 17th Century.

The Pavilion at Lord’s Cricket Ground

The land in Greenwich Park has been used for sport and recreation as early as the 1400?s, and will be the site for equestrian events, as well as the riding portion of Modern Pentathlon. How appropriate that former hunting grounds will now serve as the venue for Olympic horse riding events! Imagine competing on the grounds where Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary were born, and where their father Henry VIII once hunted deer on horseback! Although situated in the center of London, the park consists of 183 acres of flora, fauna, wildlife, as well as the Queen’s House, a former royal palace. While the park itself dates back to the 15th Century, the land has been settled since ancient Roman times.

Greenwich Park

And finally, situated some 25 miles west of the bustling hub of London, is a venue at Eton Dorney, site of the rowing and canoe sprint events. The man-made lake built especially for rowing is situated on a 400-acre park, practically in the back yard of Windsor Castle! The calm lake waters surrounded by verdant landscaping seem to be from the canvases of John Constable. Now, this is a venue!

The lake at Eton Dorney, with Windsor Castle in the background

Stay tuned for Part 2, which will look at the modern venues and England’s commitment to sustainability.