‘Big dig’ on track as Olympic Stadium bowl takes shape

New images published by the ODA today show that preparation to dig out the bowl of the Olympic Stadium is on schedule and construction is on track to start two to three months early.

The Olympic Stadium design utilises an innovative bowl for the track and permanent lower tiers of seating. The stadium bowl and site is being dug at a rate of over 50,000 tonnes a week.

David Higgins, ODA Chief Executive said: 'We are on track to meet our milestone to clean and clear most of the Olympic Park by the Beijing 2008 Games. It is a major challenge but now that demolition is complete on the ‘Big Five’ venue sites the big dig is at full throttle.

'The Olympic Park is starting to take shape as we prepare for construction. The work to dig the bowl of the Olympic Stadium where opening and closing ceremony and athletics will take place in 2012 is on track and we remain on schedule to start building early.'

With nearly the entire site investigated and demolition complete on the sites of the ‘Big Five’ Olympic Park venues work has rapidly accelerated to create the ground levels needed for construction by excavating soil and cleaning it where necessary.

Ground levels vary greatly across the site and over a quarter of the 2.7 million tonnes (1.5 million cubic metres) of soil to be excavated to lower ground levels or remove contamination has already been dug. This soil will then be reused to help create the landscape and of the largest new urban park in Europe and form the platforms for the venues for the 2012 Games and the future development. Forty-five dump trucks are currently moving excavated soil within the site, with some carrying up to forty tonnes at a time.

Around 72,000 tonnes of soil has been excavated from the Aquatics Centre site, 190,000 tonnes from the International Broadcast Centre/Main Press Centre site and over 100,000 tonnes from the VeloPark site. Over 300,000 tonnes of soil has already been used to raise soil ground levels on areas of the site, the remainder of excavated soil has been stockpiled for reuse or cleaning.

Notes to editors:

The document ‘Demolish, Dig, Design’ which sets out the ODA’s progress on site at the end of 2007 is available for download.

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For further information please contact the Olympic Delivery Authority Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 700

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