Concerns over Greenwich Olympic events (From News Shopper)

Concerns over Greenwich Olympic events

1:22pm Monday 18th August 2008 in

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WHILE the British team moved closer to its best medal haul for 100 years, concerns have mounted at home over Greenwich's suitability for the next Olympics.

A petition on the Downing Street website against the use of the Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, for shooting events in 2012 has been signed by 10,941 people.

And protestors against the use of Greenwich Park for Olympic equestrian events, including cross country riding, have vowed to get even more support for their online petition, which has 1,922 signatures so far.

The news came as preparations were made for the handing over of the Olympic flag at the O2 on August 24.

At the same time, Greenwich Council leader Councillor Chris Roberts was launching the Destination Greenwich exhibition in Beijing to promote the borough as a world-class destination.

Campaign group NOGOE (No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events) will meet this week to set up a committee before stepping up its campaign.

Founding member Michael Goldman said: "Most of our effort so far has been to raise public awareness about this issue.

"A lot of fairly active local people just didn't know that these things were taking place in the park."

The 78-year-old retired marketing consultant claims damage could be caused to the grounds and the park is too small to hold the event.

The group is also concerned that the park could be closed for long periods and will cause huge problems with traffic congestion.

Mr Goldman, of Lyndale Close, Blackheath, said: "To my mind I hope we can move the cross country event but if it goes ahead it will cause such damage to south east London."

"A cross country event in an urban park just doesn't make sense."

The petition against the use of Woolwich Barracks for shooting events was set up by Great Britain shooting team member Nicola Heron.

British Shooting, the governing body of Britain's Olympic shooters, has endorsed the petition and has previously written to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to express its concerns.

A spokesman said: "Although we've still got concerns about the venue, they've changed it significantly to meet various safety and competitive standards.

"But it's not ideal."

He said the body was still concerned there would be no lasting legacy at Woolwich and preferred the Dartford Clay Shooting Club in Joyce Green Lane, Dartford.

The spokesman said: "Dartford would have given us a permanent legacy and would have been a better site all round."

LOCOG met with community groups last month to discuss concerns over the park ahead of launching formal plans and says it has been working closely with park managers The Royal Parks.

A LOCOG spokesman said: "What we've said is that we want to keep large parts of the park open for as long as possible and we want to keep roads open for as long as possible.

"We've made a guarantee to Royal Parks that we'll return Greenwich Park to them in the same way we found it."

He also said the committee, some of whom were in Hong Kong to see what lessons could be learned from its hosting of equestrian events, was in discussions about what legacy could be left.

The spokesman said: "We hope we can meet people's concerns.

"Both these events will go to full consultation."