After writing about the new and reduced park I found myself involved in an email discussion about replacement funding. At the risk of repeating myself I thought part of it deserved a little airing. Below is part of an email from a Hackney Councillor, Christine Boyd, in response to a discusion about REAP funding which was meant to compensate local communities, notably at Hackney Wick, for loss of open space.

Thursday, 6 November 2008

(Open letter to Mr Jacques Rogge - President. International Olympic Committee)

Dear Jacques Rogge

Hi – you probably haven’t heard of us - but we are the residents of Leabank Square in Hackney Wick – right opposite your Olympic 2012 site.

The poison of Olympic lies and delusions is steadily spreading through the Olympic Boroughs. Earlier in the year Hackney Mayor Jules Pipe denounced Michael Rosen, the Children's Laureate, for criticising the development in Dalston as 'degeneration' saying Rosen wanted to 'keep Hackney crap'. Now this argument between Hackney's authors and its Council has plumbed new depths with the banning of Iain Sinclair, author of 'The Olympic Scam' (see attachment), from launching his new book, 'Hackney, That Rose-Red Empire', on Council premises.

On 15th October Shona Abantu-Choudhury posted the statement below on the noise and dust at Leabank Square on the Leabank Square Blogspot along with pictures of the machinery at work. You can see what other residents have to say by following the 'comments' link below his statement on the blogspot. Shona and his wife Nadira were also interviewed by BBC News. This follows earlier reports contained in More ‘Anecdotal’ Complaints of Noise and Dust from Leabank Square Residents about the situation at Leabank Square. Residents are increasingly concerned at the steadily diminishing legacy they and others in Hackney Wick will inherit once the Games are over. Having lost a vital green space at Arena Fields they are now worried the promised replacement parkland will not materialise.

Washing day at Leabank Square

I recently found a message on my phone from a journalist at BBC Radio London, who had seen the Games Monitor article about noise and dust at Leabank Square, ‘Hackney Wick residents complain about noise and dust from the Olympic Park’. She wanted to get in touch with Shona Abantu-Choudhury, who had been complaining on behalf of residents. But by the time I got back to her she said they had already done the programme and anyway the problems had been ‘resolved’. Really! I asked who had told them this. The ODA. Hmmm! I said I didn’t think so and just in case I would ask Shona when I next saw him. ‘No way!’ he said. Well, that’s public relations.

According to the BBC:

Tunnel collapse site 2

LONDON
DEVELOPMENT
AGENCY

A. BACKGROUND

Who is the London Development Agency (LDA)?

The LDA is the Mayor of London's agency for sustainable economic growth and is working to build a thriving economy for London's communities and businesses.