The 2010 Winter Olympics, to be held in Vancouver-Whistler from February 12-27, 2010, is today a very real threat to Native peoples, the urban poor (many of whom are also Native), and the environment.

On June 14, 2006, the New York Times ran an article entitled “Antidevelopment Protesters Are Arrested at Farm Site in Los Angeles.” Featuring the arrest of actress, Daryl Hannah, the article describes the eviction of 350 families, “mostly Latino squatters” from the 14-acre South Central Farm, the largest community garden in the country.

Below is the press release from the official governing body of our sport... Reading between the long, wordy, lines, it seems that British Cycling are now realising what the Eastway Users' Group has been telling them all along; that the plans for the new velodrome didn't show good enough facilities for a road or a mountain bike circuit. And without the bulldozing of these circuits, there wouldn't be any Olympic Park at all...

Road closures

Road, cycle and pedestrian routes across the Olympic Park

Preparation works are now underway on the Olympic Park site As part of these works it is essential to close some road, pedestrian and cycle routes on 2 July Details of routes that will be affected are:

King's Yard: Belfast truss roofThe ODA has gone back on the original proposal contained in the LDA’s first planning application and Olympic and Legacy Masterplans to retain the finest industrial buildings in the Olympic area at King’s Yard, Carpenter’s Road. The works, which were used for making sweets and lozenges, were erected between 1902 and 1912 and include two buildings with curved roofs on timber Belfast trusses. These are probably some of the few surviving early 20th Century industrial examples of this type of roof truss in England. Most extant 20th Century Belfast truss roofs are on WW1 aircraft hangers. English Heritage historians recommended the whole site should be listed but this was rejected by E H listing inspectors who advised the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which is responsible for organising the Olympics, not to list the works.

Massimo Allamandola has at last been able to bring to my attention the report, which I have attached below, about the response in Nov 2005, by the 'Regents Network' of canal users to British Waterways proposal to impound the River Lea by building a 'Water Control Structure' at Prescott Channel.

Monday, April 02, 2007

After 100 years of history, today's the day that the Manor Garden Allotments at the heart of the 2012 Olympic site are finally closed. Or at least that was the plan. The London Development Agency wanted everybody (and their vegetables) off the land today so that the site could be levelled and transformed into the central concrete walkway down the spine of the Olympic Park. But, what do you know, the allotments have had a reprieve. Until July. It's only another three months, but that's better than bulldozing several acres of fledgling potatoes and carrots before they've even had a chance to grow.

EXPERTS are being urged to apply for membership of a new, independent panel aimed at ensuring the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Specialists with experience of a major construction project or public event, and with social, environmental, and economic backgrounds are needed to form the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012.