Hyde Park prepares for the Olympics

Whether you can't wait for the Olympics to start or whether you can't wait for it to be over, in just two short years the London 2012 Games will be here.

Juliet Eysenck took a trip to Hyde Park, one of the Olympic venues where preparations already under way.

Between now and August 2012, it would be a massive understatement to say the organisers of the London Olympics have a lot on their hands.

As well as balancing the needs of athletes and spectators, all eyes across the world will be focused on the capital to see how well it copes with the pressure of being a host city.

While much of the action will be taking place in east London, the borough of Westminster has been given the honour of staging the archery at Lord's cricket ground in St John's Wood, beach volleyball in Horse Guards Parade and the triathlon and marathon swimming in Hyde Park.

In preparation for the events at Hyde Park, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has already been hard at work leafleting residents, park users and local businesses to find out their views on the games.

The marathon swimming event is set to take place in the heart of the park, with six laps of the Serpentine (10km), while the lake will also be the setting for the swimming (1,500 metres, or one lap of the Serpentine) and running sections (10km, or four laps around the edge of the Serpentine) of the triathlon.

The cycling leg of the triathlon (40km, in seven laps) starts in Hyde Park, making its way along West Carriage Drive, Constitution Hill, Wellington Arch and past Buckingham Palace before returning to the park.

A 1,000-seater spectator area and athlete preparation area will be set up on the north bank, but talks are still under way to decide how barriers will be positioned around the rest of the Serpentine.

The exact dates for the events have not yet been finalised.

"We've had a number of conversations with Westminster Council and an initial conversation with residents about the events," explained James Bulley, LOCOG's director of venues and infrastructure.

"The main concerns are the usual ones about getting access to watch the games, the road restrictions that will be in place."

Following the consultation, LOCOG will submit a planning application to the council in October and if agreed, the temporary structures will be installed from June 2012 for three months, until the end of the games.

A test event will also be held in summer next year to ensure all the necessary preparations are in place for 2012.

Mark Camley, chief executive of the Royal Parks, added: "I'm relatively confident that the local authority will welcome the venue, but we will bear in mind everything they say, because they have the legislative power to make sure we do things properly.

"We will aim to minimise the impact on users of the parks."

On Thursday, Olympic marathon swimmer Cassie Patten, who won silver at the Beijing Olympics, took a dip in the Serpentine where she will compete in 2012.

"The water's not cold, but it's coolish," she said.

"It's quite a long race but it's really exciting, and I can't wait to compete.

"Sometimes if you swim in dirty water, you can tell, almost taste, that it's dirty, but you can't here."

The wildlife living in the Serpentine can also expect to be looked after during the Games.

"Rest assured we have no plans to round up the ducks or geese, they will be allowed to waddle around in their own way," said Mr Camley.

But for those less excited about London hosting the games, Mr Camley revealed only about five per cent of Hyde Park will be taken over by staging the events.

"In Kensington Gardens, it will be business as normal, and similarly in Regent's Park, Bushey Park or Richmond Park, people can get away from the Olympics if they want," he said.

"But I'm confident hat we will make it work.

"Already we have 37 million visitors to the parks each year, and we look forward to welcoming even greater worldwide audiences in 2012."

TIMELINE

August -September 2010
Consultation with residents, Royal Parks, park users, Westminster Council and other key stakeholders.

October 2010
Submit planning application to Westminster Council.

Summer 2011
Test event to ensure all necessary preparations are made ahead of the Games.

June 2012
Installation of temporary structures, such as spectator seating, will begin.

July 2012
Access to areas of Hyde Park around the north bank of the Serpentine will be restricted until September 2012.

August 2012
Two days of Olympic triathlon, shortly followed by two days of Olympic marathon swimming.

September 2012
Temporary structures will be removed.

FACTS AND FIGURES

TRIATHLON
Swimming - 1,500 metres - one lap of Serpentine
Cycling - 40km - seven laps
Running - 10km - four laps around the Serpentine
55 men and 55 women will compete.

MARATHON SWIMMING
Held as an Olympic sport from 1896 to 1906, then was not held again until the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
The event is six laps of the Serpentine, a total of 10km.
25 men and 25 women will compete.