Greenwich Olympics

[Tarot]

Talking to a park attendant friend. he told me that they are shooting the squirrels, the reason being, they dont want them to interfere with the horses running, in the Olympics. Why this event could not be held at more appropriate places,like Windsor. is a shame. All down to money. rip up a great old park, wreck a grade two market place. Turning an historic borough into a mess.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Don't worry - they're only grey squirrels.

[Bunny19]

And they are supplying Franklins :))

[Marmora Man]

There are two themes here.

I support fully the shooting of grey squirrels - anywhere.

I abhor the damage being done to Greenwich Park and the are in the name of Olympics. Perfectly good alternative exist for horsey events which would also spread the Olympic effect across the country.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

But it's the London Games!

[Tarot]

What puzzles me, is how the Cutty Sark fire started. They said it was a spark| Back in the day when we had hearths. it was hard work to even get a fire going. So how comes hundred year old timber went up in a flash.I suppose though it would not have fitted in with their elaborate plans to rise it up on stilts. How fortunate it was for it to burn down. The ancient market is next. a stupid towering hotel on top. dwarfing St Alfeges church . Capitalism at its worst. Then the chair lifts across the Thames. Next they2ll be employing people to walk about in giant suits dressed as Henry the eigth and his six wives.All for the elite few to run around in the Olympics. and of course all the dodgy contractors etc that have made money out of it all. We.ve paid big time for this "privalige"

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Are there truly going to be chair lifts - like a bosun's thingammyjig? What larks!

[The Chair]

If this is going to remain in the Drawing Room, I'd prefer it became a sensible debate about the Olympics. Squirrel conservation seems a little narrow.

If the OP would like to alter the title of the thread or else it may be moved to the Lounge for further "larks" and discussion of fluffy rodents.

[Tarot]

Does anyone else think they have gone to far in the plans for holding the Olympics in Greenwich Park and surrounding historical area?

[Marmora Man]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> But it's the London Games!

That doesn't mean it has to be within 5 miles of Charing Cross - it's costing London tax payers a bundle of dosh. Boris has tried to inject some sense by mandating the use of Wembley stadium rather than building temporary stadiums, but further money could be saved by holding the shooting at Bisley, the horse events at Gatcombe Park and so on.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Fair 'nuff!

[Brendan]

The International Olympic Committee have pretty strict stipulations as to how far from the host city you can hold events. These were part and parcel of what London bid for in the first place. We can?t just rewrite the rule book for our own purposes.

Not that I disagree that using other venues would be more economical but I don?t think we could get away with hosting events in the midlands.

[Tarot]

The park will be closed from 6th July_3rd August 2012. Blacheath ;will be used. for all the trucks ;etc.

[Brendan]

The bastards. The utter, utter bastards.

First they set the Cutty Sark on fire and now this.

[Tarot]

No fairground either.

[DJKillaQueen]

I think part of what shaped the decisions on where things are held is the ease with which they can be travelled to. I remember a similar debate about the canoeing events and the worry being that spectators wouldn't travel that far (as though only Londoners are expected to go to the games - or rather Londoners are the only ones expected to be able to afford the tickets to the games).

I am for having the games but like many people am baffled that Greenwich has been chosen for the horse events. In fact it's not the event itself that will cause the most damage/ disruption, but everything that goes with it...spectators/ media/ refreshemnts/ facilities and so on.

I am also waiting to see what tickets will cost and am sure a whole new debate will emerge when londoners, whose taxes have in part paid for these games (along with the general taxes of the rest of the country) will find it expensive and difficult to get tickets for anything they really want to see.

I wonder how many tickets will be corporate allocations and VIP for example?

[J.K.]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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> Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > But it's the London Games!

>

> That doesn't mean it has to be within 5 miles of

> Charing Cross - it's costing London tax payers a

> bundle of dosh. Boris has tried to inject some

> sense by mandating the use of Wembley stadium

> rather than building temporary stadiums, but

> further money could be saved by holding the

> shooting at Bisley, the horse events at Gatcombe

> Park and so on.

Putting a monetary value on the wastage, the cost of building at Bisley was estimated at ?28m-?30m whereas the cost for Woolwich is ?42m. On top of this, the temporary stadiums are to be pulled down after the event leaving no legacy (legacy being one of the main arguments Lord Coe and Tessa Jowell used for holding the olympics in London) for the various sports. Quite literally throwing our money down the drain!