Challenge D – Impacts on local communities

The London 2012 Games have already changed the East End of London forever. A lot is being done to help the transition for the local community. The influx of 11 million visitors during the six weeks of the Games will have a big impact on the local community. And after the Games, some venues may continue to have an appeal as a tourist attraction and so the impacts on the local community may continue.

London is the first summer host city to embed sustainability into the organisation of its Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is now a benchmark which Rio de Janeiro would like to follow.

The 12 sustainable development objectives are outlined on page three of Sustainability update interactive.

You have been asked to outline the impacts on the local community (within the host boroughs) and those measures taken to maximise their positive impact and minimise their negative impact.

You will need to research:

• Local impacts of the London 2012 Games – both during the construction phase and the six week period of the 2012 Games.
• Economic impacts; for example, changes in local income, changes in house prices, changes in local jobs, different types of jobs needing different skills.
• Environmental impacts; for example, green spaces, waterways.
• Short and longer term impacts.
• The measures that have been taken to ensure the positive impacts of the London 2012 Games are maximised and any negative effects minimised (for example, consultations, newsletters, and involvement of local community).

Choose how you would like to present your information to the Rio de Janeiro delegates. You could produce a display, create a presentation, design a website or write a report.
You may choose to focus on specific aspects of sustainability – or work with others to produce a comprehensive account.

Resources for impacts on the local communities

To help you with your research, the ODA have provided you with links to resources and an overview of their content:

• A video giving more information about Stratford Station.

• A video about how materials were delivered to park by rail or water.

• A video showing how the Aquatics Centre was built.

• A video about people working on the Olympic Park.

• A video about the construction of the Aquatics Centre roof.

• More information about the cleaning up of the Olympic Park site.

• More information on measures taken to reduce impact on local community.

• More information about sustainability in the Energy Centre.

• An example of a community newsletter.

• More information on jobs and skills targets.

• More information about the ODA Transport plan.

• A strategy brochure giving essential background to how measures taken to ensure potential benefits of 2012 are maximised.

• More information about the ODA’s sustainable objectives and practices.

• A video showing what the Olympic Park looked like in 2009.

Extension activities

• Watch video blogs and suggest specific people from the ODA who the delegation should meet and say why.
• Explore how the Olympic Park will be used after the 2012 Games. What will be its appeal then for visitors?
• How has the ODA ensured that venues designed for Games time can be adapted for legacy use?