Londoners proud to build the Olympic Park

Londoners proud to build the Olympic Park

17 Jul 2009
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) today published ‘Park people’, a collection of testimonies and pictures from some of the London residents that are working on the Olympic Park.

Annamarie, an apprentice electrician working on the Olympic Park

Included in the document is Alan Green, a previously unemployed data entry clerk with impaired vision from Waltham Forest. Alan is now working with the Park as a security contractor, he said: ‘I feel proud to be part of it.’

Annamarie Ferguson, a previously unemployed electrical trainee from Camden who had been trying to break into construction for three years, is now completing her site-based training on the Park, Annamarie added: ‘The Games only comes along once in a lifetime and have given me what I needed – a job.’

Chris Randall, an electrician from Greenwich who was struggling to find site experience after qualifying five years ago is now working on the Olympic Stadium. Chris said: ‘after five years of repairing shoes it’s great to be outside using the skills I was trained for. The Olympic Park on my doorstep has given me the opportunity to have the job I have always wanted.’

Figures published earlier this week by the ODA showed that half of the 10,000 workers that have helped build the Park to date lived in London.

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: ‘It is a credit to the Olympic Park workforce that we are on track to deliver on time and within budget and the London 2012 venues are taking shape in the skyline of east London. We are creating jobs and training opportunities in a difficult time for the construction industry and wider economy. Combined with new sporting facilities, parklands and homes these new career opportunities will leave a powerful long-term legacy for London.’

Download ‘Park people’

Read the full media release