Two years to Olympics 2012.

by Meghna Mukherjee.

The countdown has begun. With the 2012 London Olympics just 731 days away, the host city is undergoing a complete makeover. And the aim is to get everyone in the UK involved with the event in some way or another. Which is why the overall experience of London is being as carefully chalked out as the games itself.

London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) chief, Sebastian Coe, told The Fresh Outlook, “'There are two years to go until the Olympic Games begin and we want everyone to start planning their once in a lifetime experience in 2012. Whether it’s buying a ticket, becoming a volunteer, being part of our education or culture programmes – there are hundreds of ways you can get involved. Don’t wait - to ensure you don’t miss out,”
And a 'once-in-a-lifetime-experience' is what the authorities are trying to make it.
From street art to an overhaul of the transportation system, to making it a socially conscious project with the 'sustainability' factor being drilled into every aspect of the event – it is a well-rounded approach to what is seemingly the biggest project in the next few years.
And there is room for everybody to participate. Volunteering opportunities have been thrown open on the official website for the 2012 London Olympics. So far, 1,500 UK businesses have won Games-related contracts that are worth almost £5 billion. 32 domestic commercial parters have signed up to the London 2012 programme who are working towards delivering the Games and inspiring people. A Get Set education programme has been organised and 20,000 schools are already part of it. By starting an International Inspiration programme, more than 3.5 million children from 12 countries have been encouraged to be active in the Olympics, and the programme is expanding to four more countries soon.
The underlying motto is to make the UK benefit from the Olympics by having more local communities come together and an increasing the number of young people getting involved. But the bigger picture goes much beyond the event.

LOCOG authorities are hopeful that the 2012 Olympics will leave behind a legacy that will improve life in the UK on the whole for years to come. For instance, canals and waterways of the River Lea are being cleaned and widened. A new wetland habitat that birdwatchers and ecologists can enjoy is being planned. High-standard sports facilities are being created for sports clubs, local communities and elite athletes. Playing fields that are close to these facilities are being adapted for community use, as well.

An array of transport revamps are being planned in order for them to serve a long-term purpose. Work has already begun to create a larger capacity in the Dockland Light Railway (DLR) and Jubilee Lines. The Stratford Regional Station is being upgraded as well. New footpaths and cycleways are being created. Improvement of the cross-city transportation is also being looked into.

The Olympics will throw open a range of new employment opportunities, as well. The Olympic Village where the officials will be put up during the Games will be made into a comfortable home and hub , which will house teachers and nurses as well. New shops, restaurants and cafés will give the local community a boost.

For tourists, the summer of 2012 will be a feast and that is how authorities at LOCOG are hoping to generate more revenue. The tickets for the Games go on sale in 2011, but hotels of all budgets are being refurbished from now. The security is being boosted to a great degree so that the celebration of the Olympics doesn't get marred in anyway. The LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority are working closely with the government and several other policing, safety and security agencies, to make sure everything goes as planned.

The buzz around the games is quite apparent in the UK now and it's only going to get stronger as the days go by. An open weekend took place between 23 to 25 July when more than 975 events were staged across the UK – ranging from sport to art, and from dance to exhibitions. In fact, as part of the annual Cardiff Festival, the weekend saw the WOW on the Waterfront event that was part of the official 2012 London Olympics countdown, with performances by award-winning Spanish and Argentine company Grupo Puja and SWICA (South Wales Inter cultural Community Arts).

Efforts are in full swing to make the run-up to the Olympics, and the main event itself, a culturally, educationally and financially profitable experience alongside being an enormous sporting endeavour.

However, many living in London are not very happy with the way the preparations seem to be 'interfering' in their everyday schedules. ''There are so many road works going on and the transport system is in a mess. It's difficult to imagine how things will be as 2012 approaches, and how much tougher day to day life will be getting for us,'' says 28-year-old investment banker Indy Mukhapadhyay. Mr Mukhapadhyay also plans to escape London in the summer of 2012 instead of looking forward to being part of the celebrations. ''It's going to be chaos. There are going to be too many things going on and way too many people,'' he says.

But a BBC London poll that was released with the two-year countdown to the Games found that almost one in three people felt more positive about the Games now than in 2005, while 54% had not changed their views. 26-year-old Poulomi Basu who is a photographer in London, explains. ''It's difficult for us to get excited now and see the long-term picture. But definitely, in 2012 when the Olympics actually happen, it's going to be fantastic being in London and soaking all that energy in. At the moment though, in spite of all the Open Weekend shows and outdoor events, it's not making much of a difference,'' she says.

However, the authorities at LOCOG are hopeful in their efforts to making the Olympics bigger and better than ever before. ''We are well on track – the venues are nearing completion and our plans are coming together. Now it’s the public’s turn. How will you spend the summer of 2012?'' asks Mr Coe. It's time to start planning.

28/7/10