2012 legacy must be secured, urges Mayor of Hackney

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2012 legacy must be secured, urges Mayor of Hackney

Published by Michelle Pacey for 24dash.com in Communities and also in Local Government
Wednesday 23rd January 2008 - 12:03pm

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The Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, has urged leading MPs to ensure the legacy of the Olympic media centres is secured as soon as possible.

If Hackney is to attract creative and media organisations to use the buildings after the 2012 Games, and create high quality local jobs, the industry must be involved in the design of the centres.

Giving evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, Mayor Pipe said Hackney will "lose the opportunity" to attract digital and creative companies if this commitment is not met.

Mayor Pipe said it was "absolutely vital" the consortia chosen to build the media centres and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) talk to broadcasters and recording industry contacts, "because they are saying to us they are not going to be interested in taking on that venue afterwards if they have not had some input into the spec".

He said the digital and creative media industries "want somewhere new where the location is right, it is accessible and all the power supplies are there, and all the support they need.

"This location, the International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre
(IBP/MPC) and the surrounding areas, is absolutely ideal for that, but we will lose the opportunity for that to happen if the ODA do not do as they have committed they will do."

The London host boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest were presenting evidence to the Government Select Committee on preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012. The evidence was submitted on behalf of all five host boroughs, including Greenwich.

The five boroughs' Leaders and Mayors sit on the Olympic Park Regeneration Steering Group and are pressing to make sure the legacy they want for East London is delivered.

Mayor Pipe told the committee that Hackney and the other host boroughs were pressing for a lasting legacy from all infrastructure, including the indoor arena in Hackney Wick.

He also supported the evidence given by Cllr Clyde Loakes, leader of Waltham Forest Council, who urged the committee to ensure that bridges promised to connect Hackney Marshes and Eton Manor to the rest of the Olympic Park in legacy are delivered.

 

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