please empty your brain below
the bridge over Carpenter's Road of course being the same spot that the BBC's container-top studio was during the Olympics - though the bridge itself was about three times as wide, to cope with all the extra pedestrian traffic.

I think I might wait for a slightly warmer day before going to explore the new parts of the park!

martin | 24.03.14 - 6:31 a.m. | #

"Sport Relief" - sitting in a Library?
ANywhere away from the "games" field or gym, in fact.
Shudder.

When will waterworks river & the other canal banks finally be opened?
Ditto for the removal of the totallyt uinnecessary "security" fencing along the Lea canal & other places?

| 24.03.14 - 7:45 a.m. | #

I was there Sunday and boy was the weather changeable. A cold wind, with some rain and heavy bursts of hail all the while being teased with periods of sunshine.

I would not say the rest of the Park was empty, the was heavy flow of pedestrians between the race exit and the events village towards the Northern Park and the Velodrome.

The Northern Play park and cafe was packed, it was just the flat green spaces on the Western Banks that were empty, put frankly there is nothing of interest there but flat grass and until the weather improves I don't think many people will be sunbathing or playing football there.

As that part of the park is temporary until they build new houses on it, they are not going to spend a lot of landscaping money on it.

Also, I think they need to rethink those zebra crossings on Carpenters road, during a public event people were crossing every 5 to 10 seconds in ones or two's the traffic hold up into westfield was massive, it would be better to have pedestrian lights.

Rational Plan | 24.03.14 - 9:46 a.m. | #

Hi DG

Found your recent posts about the QEOP very interesting, liked the photos.

Being a bit challenged on the walking front (due to a stroke) never got to the Olympics. But a friend drove me round the site last Wednesday and boy was it car unfriendly, plenty of roads but nowhere to stop - that we could find that is.

We didn't even see the preparations for all the events you mentioned.

Have been looking for decent map of the area, where do you get the maps for your trips around the Park or do you simply follow your nose?


Regards

Ray Purdy

Ray Purdy | 24.03.14 - 10:05 a.m. | #

Carpenters Road - wasn't the old one you walked along. Soon after the railway bridge (remember the old rail drivers walking route?, the new Carpenters Road follows where the car yards used to be on the north eastern side of the Old Carpenters Road until the junction with the former Waterden Road, where the railway bridge was retained - the only bit of old road left within the Olympic Park.

xmb53 | 24.03.14 - 10:24 a.m. | #

Anon @ 7.45 on 24 March

The fencing along the Lee Navigation will hopefully be replaced by a 'Canal Park' by the end of this year.

Planning reference: 13/00387/AOD

Edvid | 24.03.14 - 12:22 p.m. | #

and why was it named QE OP? maybe o.k name the stadium or other building QE but the whole park? was it not the people of this whole country who paid for it.

| 24.03.14 - 2:11 p.m. | #

@Rational Plan - Agreed, the upper rim of the Park was being very well used on Sunday, especially the route across the bridge to the cafe and playground. But it's almost as if the lower parkland is invisible to most people.

@Ray - the Park wasn't designed to be car-friendly, that's part of the public-transport-friendly Olympic legacy. But there is now a fairly large Pay & Display car park at the Aquatics Centre, and plenty more spaces at the Copper Box.

I'd say Open Street Map has the best, most up-to-date map of the Park.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 24.03.14 - 7:21 p.m. | #

I noticed today when taking the Greater Anglia train out of Stratford that ,where was once the security area for the Greenway Gate, there are now some of those wooden booths you normally see at Xmas markets. Is this for the opening weekend of April 5-6th?

dg writes: They're the sheds on the new southern allotments, one of two sites built to replace the old Manor Garden site.

kissenme | 24.03.14 - 9:09 p.m. | #

For those looking for an map of the Olympic park I found this

http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk/~/media/Park%20map%20March%202014.pdf

Luke Treherne | 24.03.14 - 10:13 p.m. | #

For an in-depth overview of the creation of the Park, & an interview with its creator, spend 52 minutes with this week's Londonist podcast.

http://londonist.com/podcasts/londonist-out-loud-a-podcast-about-london-21-march-2014

diamond geezer | Homepage | 24.03.14 - 11:50 p.m. | #

Thanks for the detailed description of the park. It definitely sounds like a great place to visit at this time, especially for families with small children. Not only will they have fun exploring the place and engaging in different physical activities, but it's a good opportunity for parents to talk about the Olympics and bring up the benefits of getting involved in sports.
Who knows? It might even spark interest in them to pursue athletic careers! London's certainly a great place with so many interesting places.

Jamie @ Moving to London | Homepage | 25.03.14 - 1:51 p.m. | #

DG - Thanks for the hints about parking places.
Luke - Thanks for the link to map came in most useful.

Earlier today was able to find a disabled slot and spent an enjoyable if cold & wet  couple of hours exploring part of the park.
Will return again (and again) when weather is bit better.
Ray
 

Ray Purdy | 26.03.14 - 7:27 p.m. | #











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