IT will bring millions of pounds to Glasgow but the decision to hold the
2014 Commonwealth Games in the East End raised more than a few
eyebrows. It was not universally welcomed at first - critics claimed the
money would be better spent improving living conditions in the area.
But as details of how the East End will benefit have been revealed there has
been growing acceptance that the Games should be a catalyst for massive
change.
Along with the regeneration work being done by Clyde Gateway and bodies
like Glasgow East Regeneration Agency, the Games will dramatically alter
the local landscape.
And the M74 extension and East End Regeneration Route will transform
transport links.
Dalmarnock and Parkhead will reap many of the benefits of the Commonwealth
Games.
The 6500 athletes due to compete will be housed in a specially created
village being built close to the site of the old Dalmarnock Power Station.
When the Games are over the 1000 housing units will become a new, part
social/part private, housing estate.
Just across from Celtic Park a national indoor sports arena and cycling
circuit will be created.
A 50-metre swimming pool will be built in Tollcross Park - after the Games
it will be used by the community as well as for training elite athletes.
At Glasgow Green there will be two international size hockey pitches built.
The Games budget is currently £373million and - if history is anything to
go by - that figure will certainly rise.
James H _________________ The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....
THE £300million 2014 Commonwealth Games village in Glasgow will be designed
by the team behind the Scottish Parliament building.
The athletes' village will be built in Dalmarnock, in the city's East End, in one
of the biggest regeneration projects of its kind in Scotland.
Scots international architectural company RMJM is part of the winning City Legacy
consortium and is expected to be confirmed as the successful bidder for the
project by Glasgow City Council on Friday.
The winning consortium - which also includes developers and contractors Campbell
Construction, W H Malcolm, Cruden, and Mactaggart & Mickel - scored highest
in its promise of beneficial spin-offs.
Throughout the development of the village, City Legacy will be expected to
bring community gains to the city by generating employment and training
opportunities that will feed down to small to medium-sized businesses and social
enterprises.
It is understood the bid also has the greatest potential for long-term use and
profitability when the village properties are sold on post-2014.
The village, on which work is due to begin in the later stages of next year, will
have an overall workforce of 620, of which 93 will be new jobs and 60 apprenticeships.
The indirect workforce will be about 200-strong.
After the Games, additional housing will be built on the site and the existing
facilities transformed into family homes, forging an entire new community in
the heart of Glasgow's East End.
When finalised, it will include 1400 properties for sale and rent in the currently
run-down Dalmarnock area.
James H _________________ The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....
THE company behind such high-profile projects as the London Olympic Stadium,
the Eden Project and Arsenal's Emirates Stadium is earmarked to land the
contract to deliver two key Commonwealth Games venues in Glasgow.
Sir Robert McAlpine, the building and civil engineering giant, is expected to be
announced on Friday as the main contractor for both the National Indoor Sports
Arena (NISA) and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
The combined NISA and velodrome, which will be one of the biggest indoor
sports facilities of its type in Europe, will be located on a 10.5 hectare site in
the East End of Glasgow, close to Celtic Park and the Commonwealth Games
Athletes' Village.
Costing almost £120m for the entire project, the indoor arena will be the principal
sports facility for the Games. The adjacent facility will be Scotland's first indoor
cycling arena.
The indoor arena will have 5000 spectator seats for sporting competitions, while
the velodrome will have a further 2000 seated and 500 standing spectators
viewing a 250-metre cycle track.
Viewing capacity for the velodrome will be extended to 4000 for the duration
of the 2014 Games, where the venue will host badminton as well as track cycling
events.
The combined facility will be a national training centre for athletics, basketball,
netball, track cycling and volleyball and will provide elite training and an
international competition standard venue.
McAlpine has now been named the preferred bidder, with a final decision to be
taken by Glasgow City Council on Friday.
The four final rival bidders are Laing O'Rourke, Bovis Lend Lease and BAM.
James H _________________ The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....
A MULTI-MILLION pound legacy plan to ensure Glasgow benefits from the
2014 Commonwealth Games has been revealed today.
First Minister Alex Salmond announced the £23.5m investment to bring
long-term economic, social and cultural improvements.
The cash will be used to support athletes and improve sporting facilities
through a network of 'sporting hubs' in Glasgow and throughout the country.
Money will also go towards a plan to improve the nation's health by providing
facilities to cope with the expected rise in people getting involved in sport,
inspired by the Games.
Mr Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, Health Secretary, with Steven Purcell, leader
of Glasgow City Council, launched the plan today at the People's Palace in Glasgow.
They revealed a four-point plan which includes:
● Active Scotland to get more people from all backgrounds involved in sport.
● Connected Scotland, promoting learning and culture and creating stronger international links.
● Sustainable Scotland encouraging greener lifestyles and supporting the regeneration of the east end of Glasgow.
● Flourishing Scotland developing business, skills and employment, tourism and promoting Scotland as a place to invest and do business.
Mr Salmond said: "The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games offer vast
opportunities to put Scotland on the path to a healthier and more successful
future.
"A games legacy for Scotland outlines an ambitious long-term approach
that aims to capitalise on this once in a generation opportunity to host a
major international sporting event in the heart of Scotland."
Sportscotland will provide £18m of the cash for athletes and facilities and
another £5.5m, will come from the Big Lottery Fund.
James H _________________ The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....
GLASGOW has agreed an £8million overhaul of Dalmarnock Station as part
of moves to create a world-class transport system ahead of the 2014
Commonwealth Games.
The dilapidated train station, described as the "gateway to the Games", will
be entirely rebuilt with lift access to platforms, a new station building and
covered passenger area under plans being progressed by the council together
with transport and development agencies.
Despite regular train services connecting it to Glasgow, Hamilton and Motherwell,
few passengers use the station, which has been described as unsafe and unpleasant,
except to attend games at Celtic Park.
The redevelopment is seen as one of the first moves to extend the transport
legacy of Glasgow's 2014 Games to ensure tangible benefits are left for the
city's citizens after the athletes have departed.
It is planned to tie in with a major economic regeneration of Glasgow's East
End, where development agency Clyde Gateway is hoping to create 20,000
additional jobs.
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which is leading the redevelopment
plans, had expressed concerns, shared by the council, that the current station
facilities would be a blight on Glasgow's reputation if used by athletes and Games
officials. It is just five minutes' walk from the new Athletes' Village, National
Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome.
Robert Booth, director of land and environmental services at Glasgow City
Council, said: "Dalmarnock Station is the gateway to the East End of the city
and Games area.
"There has been a recognition by the Scottish Government, the council, SPT
and Clyde Gateway that the condition of the station has to be addressed."
Alistair Watson, chair of SPT, added: "Dalmarnock Station is at the heart of the
Games area and only minutes away from Glasgow city centre. SPT has always
said it will be a vital transport hub for 2014 and a big part of the regeneration
of the area.
"Early development work has been done and we're now looking to work with our
partners on how the future funding to deliver a new station can be achieved."
The station, which is on the Argyle low-level line, was heavily used up until the
1960s, when the East End was still a bustling centre of economic activity.
But its decline has mirrored the fortunes of the area, which is in Scotland's
top 5% "most deprived" and has high levels of unemployment.
The station currently has no covered or heated waiting area for the public, poor
accessibility for disabled passengers and is regarded as unsafe and unpleasant,
according to a paper prepared by Gordon McLennan, SPT's assistant chief executive.
James H _________________ The blinding obvious is what you showed to me.....
I think a refurbishment of Dalmarnock is, as they say, your whack.
James H
Some legacy...
Nobody uses it because there is few that live around that area _________________ Now coming at you with 95% more significance, 1% less salt and virtually fat free!
It wasn't seen as being cost effective opening up the London Road line as there wasn't felt to be any prospect of this being a well used line only to Parkhead. The line would have to go further but this would have resulted in more costs without any guarantee of a great income from the service.
Dalmarnock refurbishment seemed to be the more cost effective proposal.
Another option was to put in a station on the Airdrie line between Bellgrove and Carntyne.
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