The Olympic Delivery Authority has earmarked over £200 million for the landscaping of London's Olympic Park, organisers said yesterday.
David Higgins, the Olympic Delivery Authority chief executive, told UK newspaper, The Guardian: "There is no problem with the budget, which is over £200 million. It is money that is set aside. The money is there and I have no concern about that because ... one of the few good things about the credit crunch is that we are getting competitive pricing on costs."
Under the plans, around 110 hectares of parkland, once largely contaminated industrial land, is to be transformed into a colourful setting for the 2012 Olympics using groundbreaking green technology. Designed by LDA Design and Hargreaves Associates and inspired by the Victorian and post-war pleasure and festival gardens, the park will have broad sweeping lawns and footpaths leading down to reedbed-lined waterways, terraced seating and public spaces which will include big screens to show the sporting action.
Plans for the Olympic Park include a mini Kew Gardens which organisers say will stretch for half a mile between the Aquatic Centre and the Olympic Stadium. There will be an ecological park with habitats for wildlife, including wetlands, meadows and ponds, and 3km (1.8 miles) of previously inaccessible waterways will be turned into a river park. It is hoped the park will promote a healthier lifestyle after the Games by providing a green open space for community use.
