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RSS FeedThe 2012 Olympic Games in London will damage the British construction industry
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| Agree | 18% | 22 votes | Total: 121 votes | |
| Disagree | 82% | 99 votes |
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Add to FavoritesI write to you from Vancouver, B.C. the site of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. I implore you to do whatever it takes to ensure that your public officials are held accountable for every action they take regarding your 2012 Olympics. We have witnessed broken promises, severe anguish from the local small business owners along Cambie Street, where the construction was to have been over in 6 months. After almost twenty years in business on Cambie Street, the Tomato Fresh Food Cafe closed it's doors. This is the latest closure in a string of business failures due to the construction of the Canada Line.
I think the real tragedy is that it is killing the community. and it's killing the community spirit. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business threw their support behind N.D.P. MLA Gregor Robertson's private members bill to lend a hand in the Cambie corridor. The bill called for the BC government to cover the property tax bill businesses that face significant losses from infrastructure projects lasting for six months or more for the BC government to cover their property taxes. The bill was defeated. The arrogance of this provincial government is beyond belief. Small business owners know the ultimate cost of Canada Line construction: One business a week. Over three dozen storefronts along the once welcoming Cambie Village, between Broadway and King Edward, have been deserted since street closures, heavy construction and constant noise literally invaded the community six months ago.
All surviving shops in the area are seeing business drop between 30 to 70 per cent.
With the public simply pawns in the overall narcisstic environment of a Premiere and Olympic Committee that refuses to be accountable to anyone. Behind closed doors they have managed to hide from any protests or backlash from so called "negative influences". The only thing missing from the Olympic emblem is the "hammer and sickle" with this attitude. It was 3 1/2 years before VANOC presented their business plan. Any legitimate private company would have fired their CEO for not presenting a business plan within his first six months on the job.
They are now at a billion and half overrun, and guess what will happen to you and to us when this 17 day party for the rich and privileged is over...the public taxpayer. Oh well there is always television, NBC paid $820 million for the rights to 2010 and 1.8 billion for the rights to 2012. We can both sit there in Vancouver and London with a pint of ale and wonder what happened here. How insane are people...half the world is in poverty, there are refugees from wars needing food and shelter. Our emergency wards are backed up with an ailing health care, yet the boys in power managed to get this one by us, by saying that construction for the Olympics was going to be win win for everybody. Nobody asked the most important question...so what part of this is a lie? Because of the Olympics, foreigners have bought their way in to the city and with big bucks have bought everything in sight. You can't buy an apartment for under $300,000 in Vancouver. Our homeless have been displaced with no where to live, drugs and crime are rampant in the Downtown East Side. Keep your chin up in London, at least Blair left, how many Americans wish they were able to physically remove the cancerous Mr. Bush. Best advice I can give you is start asking questions NOW! And DEMAND answers.
Learn more about this author, Allan Holender.
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Disagree
Construction of the new stadium for the Olympic Games is currently in the early stages of development at the London Docklands site in the U.K. Some British Building Companies have already reported difficulties in obtaining certain materials, such as cement. However, the U.K is currently experiencing a property boom, and as a consequence of this, the demand for building materials has already been pushed higher than might otherwise have been the case. The impact of the 2012 Olympic Games needs to be taken in context:- The construction of new houses, and the boom in renovation projects throughout the U.K, is having far more impact on the construction industry than the preparations for the Olympic Games.
In most respects, the forthcoming Olympic Games actually spells good news for the British Construction Industry. The London Docklands site is in a relatively deprived area of London and the benefits to the local economy from the Olympic Games is likely to be far reached. The boost to surrounding businesses, together with the anticipated rise in local house prices is likely to have a positive effect on the whole Docklands area.
Regeneration of the London Docklands is already well overdue. An increase in the local economy will allow further improvements to housing and infrastructure in the surrounding areas. Increasing the demand for building work is good news for both Building Companies and construction workers alike, who will both see their profits rise.
Learn more about this author, Poppy Fields.
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