Thursday 9 April 2009

Olympic Welfare Centre on Arena Fields




As you can all see - the Olympic Welfare Centre for the construction site workers is taking shape directly opposite us. This will have all the amenities that the builders will need while they are constructing the International Press Centre and the Media Centre.

I suppose it's full of stuff like offices, toilets, showers, canteens, sick bays, chill-out rooms - somewhere to shelter in a storm.

It is an absolutely crucial building for the men & women building the Olympics.

But it doesn't half look boring!!

As some of you already know - we have been chatting to Julie King over the canal - and gave her a few ideas about making the view a bit more beautiful for us here in Leabank Square.

This is a quote from her last email: "As you know the installation of the porta-cabins has commenced and we are extremely happy to place some form of artwork on the western exterior that faces Lea Bank Square as previously discussed with you. It would be useful if Gemma Rapson from my team could meet with you and possibly some other residents as soon as possible to gather your thoughts on an acceptable design.

Once the porta-cabins are complete we will be placing trees along the embankment in front of the cabins to provide an additional screen. These will be approximately 5-6 meters tall and spread along the 50 metre stretch of cabins. These will be potted trees so their positioning can be altered if needed."

This is just fantastic news!! So not only can we have some input into the artwork on the Welfare Centre facing us - but they are also going to plant some (hopefully evergreen) trees directly in front of it as well!!

I know (through some of the emails on the secure system) that there are residents that are still very sceptical about what the ODA is doing for us. Hopefully we can all see that Julie & her team really are on our side - and do actually listen to us.

Please can we see if we can knock our heads together over some suggestions for artwork - especially the front 3 blocks - as this directly affects them for the next 4 years. I know we all have a meeting overload in the next few months - but if we could all contribute some ideas up here on the blog - and through the specific artwork leaflets dropping through our doors - then a few of us can get these checked over by the ever-enthusiastic Gemma.

So - go on - get those creative juices flowing!! The more ideas we present to the ODA - the more of a chance we have of getting something we would actually like to look at for the next few years.


11 comments:

Mary said...

Hi Sóna
Deffo bright purple with baby-pink spots!
Mary

Paul said...

Hello Sóna
As we are all missing the orchard, the greenery, the trees, the birds, Arena Fields, etc so much - maybe a shades of green jungle scene, sort of abstarct mural?

This should make us feel the tiniest bit better about having permamnently lost our trees.

What does everyone else think?
Paul

Maria said...

Hi Everyone!!
How about a giant zebra design? It would look different wouldn't it?
Maria

Matt said...

Hey Dude!
I think it should have a natural theme - plants, trees, flowers, vines, etc.
They took our orchard away - so I think a green theme is the very least they could do.
Also - in Julies email - what does she mean by thinking our idea for World Environment Day is good? Does she actually mean that they may donate some trees in planters to Leabank Square? That's what it sounds like she means.
Anyhow - this would go some way to mitigating the chopping of our trees down dontcha think?
Matt

Derek said...

Shona
How about a Mondrian?
Derek

TaggerX said...

Hi Sóna
I vote for one huge muttha of a Banksy all along the two facades! Sort it out!
TaggerX

Greg said...

Hello Sóna
I'm not too fussed as long as:
1. It doesn't stay grey!
2. It doesn't have any Olympic logos on it!
3. It doesn't have the fast food ads on it that were on the fence!

Other than that - it even be magnolia for all it's worth!!
Greg

Dirk said...

Sóna

Please make sure they don't do a corporate job on it! The only people who are going to see it are us here in Leabank Square. Even When the blue board comes down & the fence goes up - the angle of the bank will make it impossible for the cyclists & ramblers to take it all in.

So it must be something WE are all happy (?) to stare at for the next 4 years.

How about a giant Heart Leabank Square?
Dirk

Mr Blue said...

Hi Dude

Bloody Hell!!! It seems to be getting larger & BIGGER every day!

I had no idea it was going to loom over us like that!?

Has anyone asked them about our privacy? There are going to be people staring into our bedrooms at any time of the day! And it has been so sneakily done that WE can't see if there is anyone in THEIR windows!?

Sóna - I can't make the meeting with their suit on Monday - but PLEASE raise the privacy issue with them. I also want to be assured that there will be no CCTV cameras trained on our windows - whether in the interests of so-called 'security' - or for any 'other' reasons.

We all know what they're constantly trying to do to our communications - and if we didn't have such good boffins on our side - they would've succeeded!

Thanks dude
Mr Blue

Rose said...

Hi Sóna

I see what Mr Blue means!
I've been away for a few days, and when I returned I was shocked at how large the welfare thingie is!

Is the whole thing going to be double storied? I can't believe this is going to be our only & main view of the site for many years to come.

We better come up with a fantastic design for the walls - because if it is as bad as the adverts they had on the wall - we'll get VERY sick of them QUICKLY!
Rose

Anonymous said...

Whose Welfare?