Stratford Station: Gateway to London 2012 Olympics
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- Category: Sports
- Written by Ibrahim Chonoko
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And from August 29 to September 9, more than 4,000 Paralympic athletes and 2,300 officials from 147 nations will take part in the Paralympic Games also in London, mostly in the same venues used by the conventional Olympians.
As it were, participants and competitors, umpires and officials, staff and volunteers, press and media personnel, sightseers and fun seekers, the rich and the not-so-rich, the famous and the nonentities, the leaders and the led, men and women will arrive London by air, land and sea from across the world. The most point of entry would probably be Heathrow Terminal Five, perhaps the most up-to-date terminal in the world. For those coming from Nigeria and Africa, the entry points are mostly Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, though some may choose to make it at the London City Airport, less than six kilometres from Stratford.
What is not in doubt, however, is the fact that almost all the above listed would pass through Stratford Station, aptly tagged the ‘Gateway’ to the London 2012 Olympics, not just because of its proximity to most of the venues for the games and the events, but also because of its links to major travel systems, services and facilities to and from Stratford and East London in general.
Stratford, which started as a village in Essex in the backwaters of East London, has now grown to be a major part of East London with all the facilities and amenities that a modern city could boast of.
The Station is truly the Gateway to the hub of most of the action because it boasts of the London Underground, Docklands Railways, National Rail, and National Express East Anglia services. High speed Euro Star trains that serve mainly Mainland Europe are also accessible via St. Pancras International at Kings Cross Station. This is not to forget taxis, coaches and the famous London buses that are ubiquitously spread across all the games venues, including shuttle services.
The Olympic Park and Stadium are located just a few minutes’ walk from the station, and 17 of the 26 sports in UK’s capital will take place within 15 minutes walk of the station. Other venues in Essex, West Ham and elsewhere in London are not far off, as they could be only a few stations away on the bus, underground, docklands or national rail trains.
Local side attractions include Stratford Circus, Stratford Picturehouse, East Gallery and Feast Café, Vue Cinema, East Stratford Theatre Royal, and the House Mill, described as Britain’s oldest tidal mill, among many others. Of course, all major shopping lines and outlets are dotted all around the area, with many of them concentrated in the Stratford Shopping Centre, just across the road from the Station.
And for those who may use the opportunity of their Olympics trip to embark on wider leisure outings and sightseeing, London boasts of more than enough of such landmarks. The famous Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Downing Street and the London Eye are all within short walking distances. Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square are also located within a few minutes’ walk. In fact, one could see Buckingham Palace from Trafalgar Square and vice-versa. There is Madame Tussauds in Baker Street, Natural History Museum, Alexandra Palace, Tower and London Bridges, and many others too numerous to mention.
As the saying goes, one should make hay while the sun shines – those who are privileged to be part of the 2012 Olympics may do well to make the most of it and savour its glamour and opportunities while it last. And as stressed by the President of Nigerian Olympic Committee, Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, London 2012 is like Nigeria’s Olympics because it is the nearest to Nigeria in terms of distance. The last time London hosted an Olympic event was 64 years ago in 1948. The previous one was 40 years earlier in 1908, six years before Nigeria was born.
Whatever the outcome of the various Teams’ performances in the various competitions and events, the legacies and the lessons to be derived from London 2012 would linger for a long time. Without much hesitation, one would say the hopes and wishes of Africans is for the continent to host the world’s most spectacular sporting fiesta soonest as it did the FIFA World Cup in 2010.
Articles
Stratford Station: Gateway to London 2012 Olympics
Category: Sports Written by Ibrahim Chonoko Hits: 610
The London 2012 Summer Olympics, which used to sound faint and far away, is now just about three weeks away and the ‘World Capital City’ is already in the mood for the world’s most spectacular sporting fiesta with its pomp and pageantry. Come July 27, the 30th edition of Summer Olympics will kick off in London, with 10,500 athletes from 205 countries vying for medals in 300 events and 46 championships. More than 6,000 officials, 70,000 volunteers and 7,000 representatives of sponsors will also be involved in the games. And crucially, 20,000 press and media personnel with their various tools of trade will be on hand to show, inform and tell all the events and happenings to those who are not privileged to witness them live.And from August 29 to September 9, more than 4,000 Paralympic athletes and 2,300 officials from 147 nations will take part in the Paralympic Games also in London, mostly in the same venues used by the conventional Olympians.
As it were, participants and competitors, umpires and officials, staff and volunteers, press and media personnel, sightseers and fun seekers, the rich and the not-so-rich, the famous and the nonentities, the leaders and the led, men and women will arrive London by air, land and sea from across the world. The most point of entry would probably be Heathrow Terminal Five, perhaps the most up-to-date terminal in the world. For those coming from Nigeria and Africa, the entry points are mostly Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, though some may choose to make it at the London City Airport, less than six kilometres from Stratford.
What is not in doubt, however, is the fact that almost all the above listed would pass through Stratford Station, aptly tagged the ‘Gateway’ to the London 2012 Olympics, not just because of its proximity to most of the venues for the games and the events, but also because of its links to major travel systems, services and facilities to and from Stratford and East London in general.
Stratford, which started as a village in Essex in the backwaters of East London, has now grown to be a major part of East London with all the facilities and amenities that a modern city could boast of.
The Station is truly the Gateway to the hub of most of the action because it boasts of the London Underground, Docklands Railways, National Rail, and National Express East Anglia services. High speed Euro Star trains that serve mainly Mainland Europe are also accessible via St. Pancras International at Kings Cross Station. This is not to forget taxis, coaches and the famous London buses that are ubiquitously spread across all the games venues, including shuttle services.
The Olympic Park and Stadium are located just a few minutes’ walk from the station, and 17 of the 26 sports in UK’s capital will take place within 15 minutes walk of the station. Other venues in Essex, West Ham and elsewhere in London are not far off, as they could be only a few stations away on the bus, underground, docklands or national rail trains.
Local side attractions include Stratford Circus, Stratford Picturehouse, East Gallery and Feast Café, Vue Cinema, East Stratford Theatre Royal, and the House Mill, described as Britain’s oldest tidal mill, among many others. Of course, all major shopping lines and outlets are dotted all around the area, with many of them concentrated in the Stratford Shopping Centre, just across the road from the Station.
And for those who may use the opportunity of their Olympics trip to embark on wider leisure outings and sightseeing, London boasts of more than enough of such landmarks. The famous Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Downing Street and the London Eye are all within short walking distances. Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square are also located within a few minutes’ walk. In fact, one could see Buckingham Palace from Trafalgar Square and vice-versa. There is Madame Tussauds in Baker Street, Natural History Museum, Alexandra Palace, Tower and London Bridges, and many others too numerous to mention.
As the saying goes, one should make hay while the sun shines – those who are privileged to be part of the 2012 Olympics may do well to make the most of it and savour its glamour and opportunities while it last. And as stressed by the President of Nigerian Olympic Committee, Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, London 2012 is like Nigeria’s Olympics because it is the nearest to Nigeria in terms of distance. The last time London hosted an Olympic event was 64 years ago in 1948. The previous one was 40 years earlier in 1908, six years before Nigeria was born.
Whatever the outcome of the various Teams’ performances in the various competitions and events, the legacies and the lessons to be derived from London 2012 would linger for a long time. Without much hesitation, one would say the hopes and wishes of Africans is for the continent to host the world’s most spectacular sporting fiesta soonest as it did the FIFA World Cup in 2010.