Hackney: A Host for 2012

Future Hackney - 2012 and beyond

As a host borough for the 2012 Games, we are seizing this opportunity for Hackney to secure the best possible legacy for our residents, businesses and environment.

Major opportunities for business and enterprise, a new neighbourhood in the east of the borough and more green space are among our top priorities for long-term benefits.

During the Games, 20,000 journalists will report to a global audience of up to three billion from the media centres in the Olympic Park within Hackney Wick.

These first-class communications connections offer the opportunity to draw in media and digital industries. This supports our vision for a creative, high specification employment hub for East London. This is one of the most significant and transformative legacy opportunities the Games offer Hackney.

The media centres will be at the heart of a new neighbourhood at Hackney Wick which will also include affordable new homes, cafes and shops, alongside sports facilities and green spaces.

After London’s Paralympic Games close in September 2012, the legacy Olympic Park will begin to emerge, continuing the environmental improvements and regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley.

It will be the largest urban park created in Europe for 150 years, offering local people and elite athletes alike access to facilities for sports including swimming, athletics, cycling, tennis, hockey and basketball.

East Marsh will be directly connected to the Park and all its facilities via a new land bridge, crossing existing roads.

We are committed to making sure the park meets the needs and aspirations of local people, and to making sure it is fully accessible to everyone.

Hackney Council is investing in our leisure centres to offer more people of all abilities access to a healthier lifestyle through sports and physical activity.

Hackney Marshes – the world famous home of grassroots football – is benefiting from more than £3m of investment in improved facilities, including new pitches and changing rooms.

What our supporters say

Fi Glover, Broadcaster and presenter, Hackney resident

“The world will be able to broadcast from Hackney for the duration of the Games but Hackney will be able to broadcast to the world for ever more after the Games are over. Getting into the media is one of the most popular career choices around at the moment so it will be terrific for Hackney's aspiring journalists, presenters, DJs and engineers to have a state of the art opportunity on their doorstep. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity we're being given.”

Trevor Nelson, DJ and radio and television presenter, grew up in Hackney

“I am thrilled East London is getting the redevelopment and sports infrastructure it so desperately needs. Hackney is overdue the massive investment that the Olympic and Paralympic Games will bring not only for the local economy but also the facilities they will provide for young people."

What is Hackney Council Doing?

• Media centres – working to secure a new centre for business and enterprise
• Boosting Hackney Wick – planning a new neighbourhood
• The Olympic Park – ensuring local people can make the most of legacy sports facilities and green space
• Improving the Marshes – investing in the home of grassroots football
• Leisure – making sure we have a wide range of high quality, accessible leisure facilities before 2012
• Homes – supporting increased amounts of affordable housing

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on Hackney: A host for 2012. Please send your comments to the 2012 Unit at Olympics@hackney.gov.uk

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Page updated: 17 Jan 2008