London Olympics

Sisyphus · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 8:14 pm Post subject: London Olympics

It's been announced that the costs are rising to 9 billion, call me cynical but aren't we living in a country with a failing NHS, schools closing for lack of funding, people living below or on the breadline, why is all this money being poured into a huge set of games? For goodness sake, the world needs to gain some serious perspective. I know there will be people getting employment from this, but for how long for? It's costing £900 million for security alone.

For me, the Olympics are an incredibly expensive prop to an ailing government.

£9 billion for an event that will:

1. Be seen by only a couple hundred thousand people live.
2. Millions in this country will only see it on TV, so it could be held anywhere.
3. Incur huge hardship and cost for Londoners in extra taxes.
4. Incur huge disruption to anyone inside the M25 roundabout.
5. Divert enormous sums from more needy areas in this country such as education and NHS.

Granted, we have to have a society that has a balance of culture, (whose culture is yet to be decided), but not at the expense of the infrastructure of society itself.
Fact. All sporting events, all theatre events, all opera events, all galas, in fact all civic events nationwide could be fully funded for a full year with 20% of the Olympic bill.

Now, where is the justification for that.

Icon_nixweiss

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jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1452 Location: second childhood

I am afraid you are right.

It was only pride that made us do a wild bid for the Olympics. Now we are paying for our pride.

Sport is the sacred cow. And you know what cows leave behind.
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Eddie c · Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 685 Location: Manchester

I agree.
What a complete waste of money.

Eddie
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VictoriaPlum · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 718

I think it is very exciting actually and I have little interest in sport.

jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1452 Location: second childhood

I have nrext to no interest in sport either.

I do wish they would show more of the field events and less of the track.
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angel · Joined: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 4751 Location: essex

Where we Live I have heard they are Tarmacada-ming A whole Playing field [A Good few acre's] to put the Coaches on, for when People come and do the Something or other in our local woods, so I wonder what will happen to all those trees. Icon_310

VictoriaPlum · Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 718

I saw a few programmes last year about places in Essex that I had never heard of (the programmes were as a result of the Olympics), they looked so very beautiful that I thought I would like to visit. There is a lot in that area that most people don't know about. I know Essex a little as my grandparents and aunt lived at Benfleet but there are many very lovely and wild areas, lots of bird life.

I hope the Olympics will mean regeneration for the area - not quite sure the exact place where the stadium is being built actually!

It is very exciting for young athletes who are now in training, hoping to be selected.

As to the cost, well, maybe it can be recuperated. Other countries who have hosted the Olympics have had the same worries and have survived.

angel · Joined: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 4751 Location: essex

King Georges playing Fields tarmac'ed, ah well Progress. Icon_sad

angel · Joined: 28 Jun 2006 Posts: 4751 Location: essex

Exactly My Point.

The Conjestion will Bring our town to a standstill.

If ever there is [the weekly] Accident on the A12, A13, A127 or M25 M11, Brentwood Gets the Brunt of the Traffic, It causes A Gridlock.
Where will it all End.

Icon_angry

jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1452 Location: second childhood

I'm glad I don't live in the SE.
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Camberwick Green · Posted: Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject:

but then it will bring regeneration to the area and also jobs

There will be benefits but wasnt it Montreal who were near bankrupt after the games there

Manchester did well out of the Commonwealth games in 2002 and Glasgow are favourites to host it in 2014

For Manchester to hold the games again they would have to remove rows of seating at Manchester Citys stadium and relay a track - then bring it back again to a football stadium
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jtheb · Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 1452 Location: second childhood

Eddie c · Joined: 16 Sep 2006 Posts: 685 Location: Manchester