Lessons for Paris: legacy doesn’t stand still

COMMENT As all eyes turn to the Paris Games, it’s a timely opportunity to revisit our ongoing contribution to London 2012’s sporting legacy. Twelve years on and Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, of which I am chief executive, is delivering three of the most successful Olympic legacy venues in the world. Our best-in-class centres are thriving – Lee Valley VeloPark and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Lee Valley White Water Centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, have collectively welcomed more than 13.5m visitors. Build in legacy use As a London 2012 legacy partner we oversaw every stage of the three venues’ business modelling, design and build, ensuring that their legacy uses were incorporated from the start. But of course, legacy doesn’t stand still. The success of these venues in delivering a long-term sustainable sporting legacy has ultimately been determined by their business plans, activation programmes and ongoing investment. Innovation and continuous improvement are vital to ensuring that our venues continue to appeal to a myriad of audiences and we’re constantly bringing more exciting opportunities and experiences in line with the changing sport and leisure landscape. Equally important is maintaining them to the highest possible standard. Step inside our venues and it’s hard to believe that they are 12 years old – almost 14 years in the case of Lee Valley White Water Centre, which uniquely opened to the public for white water rafting before the Games. To achieve this, we’ve invested heavily to ensure all three venues continue to serve the needs of the changing capital and the wider region. This has taken considerable resources – £8m since 2014. From giant LED screens, sports presentation facilities, LED lighting to new playing surfaces, new catering, spectator stands, private hire spaces, and new fitness gyms – all of these carefully planned updates and improvements have been a crucial part of the formula to keep people visiting, attracting major events and keeping the venues in their prime. World-class status For example, Lee Valley White Water Centre’s number one status was further cemented last year when it became the only venue in the world to install a permanent ramp for kayak cross – an exciting new discipline debuting in a matter of weeks at the Paris Games. The offer at the venue, which is home to the GB canoe slalom and kayak cross team and a hub for Paddle UK’s talent development, has also been extended with additional meeting rooms and an expanded catering offer. Earlier this year, we funded a £500,000 fitness suite at the iconic Lee Valley VeloPark, drawing new audiences to this inspiring venue. The authority is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of our venues and this has seen us install £1.3m of LED lighting at Lee Valley VeloPark, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre as well as other venues throughout the 10,000 acre park. Dubbed the “Wembley of English hockey” and home to last month’s UK leg of the prestigious FIH Pro League, Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre has boosted its hockey pedigree with LED screens, new playing surfaces and a new spectator stand. Aside from our London 2012 legacy venues, the authority invested £30m in a new, twin Olympic rink Lee Valley Ice Centre in east London. We used a new business and funding model and borrowed the capital which we’ll pay back through a bottom line surplus. A year after opening the popular and busy Lee Valley Ice Centre is already paying its way with no taxpayer subsidy. Continue to diversify And it doesn’t stop there, the authority is exploring new partnerships and investment opportunities to diversify and expand our sport and recreation offer and provide additional income streams. This might include, for example, hotel accommodation at Lee Valley White Water Centre, a masterplan for the wider Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre with new indoor and outdoor leisure facilities and accommodation and, elsewhere in the park, a major inland surfing destination. Shaun Dawson is chief executive at Lee Valley Regional Park Authority Image © Jeff Blackler/Shutterstock