Sir Robin Wales, Mayor of Newham – where more than 60 per cent of London 2012 will take place – said the Games provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the lives of residents and nothing would be spared in ensuring that a lasting legacy was achieved.
He was speaking at a symposium organised by Newham Council to discuss how best to secure that legacy from the Games. Speakers included Baroness Ford, chair of the Olympic Park Legacy Company and representatives of previous and future Olympic cities including Athens, Sydney, Beijing and Vancouver.
Sir Robin said: “London’s bid book said the most enduring legacy of the Games must be the regeneration of an entire community for the direct benefit of everyone who lives there. In Newham, we have a view on how to achieve this.”
The Mayor said the ODA and LOCOG were successfully getting on with their jobs of building and running the Games – “but that does not constitute the enduring local legacy that people were promised as part of the bid”.
He added: “Just putting physical buildings into the ground does not reverse more than a century of deprivation. We must invest in people and the community at the same time.
“For centuries London’s East End has been one of the poorest areas in Europe. We all have to get more real about balancing east and west London and offering our residents the same opportunities as anywhere else in the capital. Nothing less will do.”
Sir Robin added: “We have brought together experts who have gone through the experience of holding Olympics across the world together with some of the leading local players from the private and public sector to galvanise action.
“But legacy at the end of the day is about people. Achieving real, local jobs, the ability for local people to have equal chances of realising their ambitions, living healthy and happy lifestyles. That is what we are going to make sure we achieve.
“We want to inspire people and raise their ambitions. Just as athletes are inspired to go faster, higher and stronger, the Games will help to inspire our population to be healthier and more prosperous.”
Cllr Paul Brickell, Newham’s executive member for the Olympics, added: ”We need a clear story on how we will achieve the single most important legacy item which was central to the bid – if we are all going to work together to transform East London then we need support at all levels of Government for our programme.”
