Delhi's Date with the Commonwealth Games 2010

Glasgow isn't the only city to look forward to hosting an upcoming Commonwealth Games - Delhi will be doing so in 2010.

Here's one take on it by Amita Baviskar, Associate Professor of the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi University, courtesy of Games Monitor:

"National prestige means that we are supposed to support the Games, wave our flag and feel proud. But prestige at what price? I am proud of Delhi, proud of its living heritage and culture. And I don’t want the Games or the mirage of a ‘world-class city’ to destroy what’s special about it. I want my money used for making Delhi better – for everyone, not just a handful of contractors, real estate developers, businessmen and politicians. Let’s cut the Games down to size and reclaim the city – for citizens and for the environment."

Full article here: http://www.gamesmonitor.org.uk/node/488

The pundits speak

Richard Leyton listened in to the BBC commentary and noted this:

'On “costs spiralling out of control”, one of the studios pundits (Michael Kelly, the former Lord Provost) says “the history of these projects is that they do go out of control, so it’d be no surprise if [costs] overran“, but that “when people start moaning [they must remember] how depressed we would have been [if we’d not won the bid]“. Helpfully, “we need to ensure the money is spent effectively; it means investment in Glasgow, real investment in houses, sporting facilities, transport links” and that “it means people will get behind this and we’ll start changing the [active] culture“.

'Truly marvellous stuff. Couldn’t have done any of that without the games at all, could we? And I did hear that correctly: senior people are already preparing ourselves for overspend on the already huge £288mincreasing budget for this miraculous anti-depressant? Super! I feel better already.'

Glasgow wins...or does it?

The announcement has just been made - Glasgow is now lumbered with the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

We'll be keeping an eye on how this all develops.

Commonwealth Games bid to be announced

The bid is due to be announced 12.45 UK time.

Purcell prearing for Commonwealth Games failure?

From glasgowLost:

Purcell prearing for Commonwealth Games Failure?

Just weeks before Culture and Sport Glasgow board member Steven Purcell leads a Glasgow City Council delegation on a massive £100,000 junket to Sri Lanka, glasgowLOST can exclusively reveal that Glasgow City Council has registered and recently renewed a number of domains linked to a possible bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The junket to Sri Lanka will include Purcell and 45 other delegates to see if Glasgow will win the right to host Commonwealth Games in 2014. Also included in the party of the privileged is former First Minister Jack McConnell's wife Bridget, who is of course the ill-qualified chief executive of Culture and Sport Glasgow. Yet another Culture and Sport Glasgow board member joining in the free festivities will be Councillor Archie Graham.

The huge bill for the jaunt, which will be met out of a £5 million bidding kitty, will include an estimated £30,000 bill at the exclusive, five-star Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo.

Openly Purcell and his cronies have been ultra-confident about securing the Games ahead of Abuja in Nigeria, but gL can reveal that plans have been going on behind the scenes to prepare for the possibility of Glasgow joining the bidding process for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, should Glasgow lose in Sri Lanka. Central to this planning has been the registration and recent renewal of the following domain names:

• Glasgow2018.com
• Glasgow2018.co.uk
• Glasgow2018.org
• Glasgow2018.org.uk

While acknowledging that winning the Commonwealth Games bid in 2014 would have the potential to deliver some positive benefits for Glasgow, it looks increasingly likely that those benefits will not filter down to either the people of Glasgow, or small- and medium-sized businesses in the city.

gL.

"Our parks face the axe"

From the Evening Times:

Our park faces axe

FAMILIES are furious another vital piece of green space in Glasgow is being sold off for millions of pounds to developers.

The park, at the bottom of Broomhill Avenue near Partick, has been used for more than 50 years by children, dog walkers and for community events. It is also home to five trees and wildlife.

One angry resident has accused Glasgow City Council of a serious dereliction of duty - and of selling off the land in a bid to finance the city's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Residents have learned the council-owned land is being sold as part of a package which includes the nearby Balshagray annexe of Anniesland College and the former Balshagray swimming pool - both of which are owned by Anniesland College.

Developers must submit proposals for the two-acre site, expected to fetch up to £5million, by October 17.

Chris Osborne, who has lived in Broomhill for seven years, said: "This is a real community amenity that is regularly used by the residents. It's the only nearby green space the kids have, apart from Victoria Park.

"The council views it as surplus land but they didn't ask anyone if it was surplus before they started negotiating with Anniesland college.

"Why was it six weeks from the developer proposals closing date before residents found out what was happening?

"This is opportunistic greed. There's no need for it to be sold, the council is selling off any land it can to fund the Commonwealth bid."

Kate Reid, who has lived in Broomhill for two years, said: "We fear a property developer will put up flats which will block out everyone's sunlight."

A spokesman for the council said: "It is absolutely not true to say that any monies raised from the sale of the land being jointly marketed is being used to fund the Commonwealth Games Bid.
"It is zoned as residential - not greenspace.

"The planning brief contains a number of options which either allow for demolition of the existing buildings and new development across the whole site, or refurbishment of the college building as flats with demolition of the pool and new build on the remaining land."

Earlier this week the Evening Times told of plans to build two four-storey blocks on two small parks on Leslie Street in Pollokshields.

And Green councillors have called for cash to be spent on more green spaces in the city.

To sign the online petition visit www.broomhillavenue.com

Open letter to the Commonwealth Decision Makers

Finally, you have a chance to say if you don't want the Games in Glasgow. Sign the Open letter over at "We Don't Back the Bid" - here's the text of the letter:

"Open Letter to Commonwealth Games Decision Makers

The Commonwealth Games is being used by Glasgow City Council to sell off greenspaces, and to provide a justification to unsustainably redevelop the city in ways which will damage or destroy communities.

It is being used as an excuse by the council to demolish large areas of social housing to replaces these homes with private housing few can afford.

The bid for the 'Games has not led to the council investing in new sports facilities. In fact the revers has been true as many football pitches, parks and areas of green space continue to be eroded to make way for private housing.

Nobody asked the people of Glasgow if we wanted this. We the undersigned, certainly do not!

We call on those making the decision on which city finally wins the 'Games, to join with us and reject Glasgow's bid.

For the people of Glasgow, for the sake of our greenspaces, for the health of our communities, and for the future of our homes, please ensure Glasgow's bid for the Commonwealth Games is turned down!

We, the undersigned, reject the bid."