London 2012 aims to reuse or recycle 90 percent of demolition debris. (Getty Images)(ATR) Demolition work at London’s Olympic Park scaled new heights today when a huge wrecking machine knocked down the tallest building on the site.
The 50-ton machine brought down the 12-storey former University of East London building, which had been derelict for a number of years, clearing the area which will link the Olympic village and velopark.
It was billed by ODA chief executive David Higgins as “a clear symbol of how the progress we are making on the Olympic Park will help to transform a neglected part of London for future generations."
“Demolition and clearance work across the site is surging ahead as we prepare for the start of the ‘Big Build’ after Beijing next year,” he said.
The ODA says it is almost halfway through its massive demolition program with over 100 of 220 buildings already removed. It aims to clear and clean the majority of the 2.5 square km park by Beijing 2008.
The demolition of the UEL buildings marks an acceleration of work around the Olympic Village and velopark sites. Construction of the village begins next year.
Meantime, site preparations for the 80,000-seat Olympic stadium are well advanced.
Next week London 2012 officials will unveil the stadium design. LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe and ODA chief executive David Higgins visit the demolition site. (Getty Images)
The plan is for the venue to be scaled down to 25,000 in 2013 for use as a multisport facility with athletics at its core.
London officials will face questions over how the venue will be subsidized in legacy mode. Securing a football or rugby club as an "anchor tenant" is a key part of the plan.
IOC president Jacques Rogge acknowledged that fact in an interview with the BBC Tuesday.
Rogge said that he was “basically happy” with London’s preparations, saying he was confident a permanent tenant for the Olympic stadium will be found.
“We know that Seb Coe and LOCOG are working very hard to find a solution,” he was quoted as saying.
London 2012 ruled out Premier League football club West Ham taking on the stadium earlier this year due to design and cost constraints.
Other football and rugby clubs could next week emerge as candidates to relocate to the Stratford venue.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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