Olympic equestrian events changed

Thursday, 01 October 2009

By Mandy Little

MAJOR changes to the plans for the Olympic equestrian events in Greenwich Park have received mixed reactions.

It has been revealed the park will now close to the public for four weeks in July 2012 for the Games rather than the previously planned two months.

The children’s playground and the Flower Garden will remain open all summer except for the actual day horse riders will race around the four-mile cross-country course.

Issues over transport congestion have been met by moving the 23,000-seater show jumping arena further into the park so that Romney Road will not have to be closed to traffic.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (Locog) has pledged the smaller residential roads around the park will not be used as routes for the events but Maze Hill is still earmarked.

Access to the competitions will be via Shooters Hill and the Blackheath Gate of Greenwich Park.

It was also repeated that no trees will be lopped in the park.

Locog chief executive Paul Deighton unveiled the changes at a meeting of the area’s three residential societies, The Friends Of Greenwich Park, and Nogoe (No To Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events) last Wednesday night.

Sev D’Souza from Nogoe told The Mercury: “Locog are in denial about the level of opposition to the use of the park. More than 13,000 people have signed our petition.

“Around 90 per cent of park users we have asked are very much against the closure of a public amenity.

“Locog has the wrong idea about Greenwich; it is actually a very congested town with a relatively deprived population.

“Thousands of people live in blocks nearby and in Deptford who have no gardens and the park is the only available green space for them to use.”

He added that Nogoe, which is also concerned the horse racing events will damage the park, is to hold an event called Ring Round The Park on Sunday, October 11 “to give ordinary people the chance to air their views”.

But Ray Smith from the Greenwich Society said: “Locog have now addressed the main concerns we have been raising.

“Frankly the changes show the benefits of engaging in constructive discussions. Getting the traffic away from the smaller residential streets was a major win.”

Liz Coyle from the Friends Of Greenwich Park, which voted to oppose the events in the park last year, said: “It was a very constructive meeting and Locog were very open about the plans.

“A lot of changes have been made and the organising team acknowledged the huge input from the four societies and residents.”

Mr Deighton said: “We believe that Greenwich Park will make a stunning venue in 2012 but we understand the concerns that local residents may have.”

Public consultations are due to start in October and a planning application for the equestrian sports is to be submitted to Greenwich council in November.

Email: mandy.little@slp.co.uk

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