What the Games means to Scotland
This article first appeared in the October 2009 issue
Hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games enables Glasgow to further improve its sports infrastructure – not just for the athletes but for society
In 2014 Scotland will welcome the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow, a city famous for its love of sport. More than 1.7 million Scots registered their support for the Games in Scotland and the city’s preparations are well underway to welcome more than 6,500 athletes and officials.
Artist's impression of the athletes' village
While Glasgow is fortunate enough to have 70 per cent of Games venues already built, the event will leave Scotland with a number of advanced new facilities for elite athlete training and international competitions. More than twenty facilities in Glasgow have already been identified as official training camp venues for London 2012.
Paul Bush OBE, chief operating officer at national events agency EventScotland, tells Host City: “Our primary concern is with attracting and bidding for major world class events, which will raise Scotland’s profile as an events destination around the globe as well as generating substantial economic impact for the nation. Events by their very nature require facilities to host them, whether these are natural or built, and the facilities being constructed and upgraded for the Games in 2014 are hugely exciting for the events industry.”
The Chris Hoy Velodrome is part of the 5,000-capacity National Indoor Sports Arena complex, which is due to be completed in 2011. At the end of 2008, EventScotland, the national events agency, announced its intention to bid for the 2012 / 2013 World Indoor Track Cycling Championships. This would be the first event to take place in the Velodrome and would further strengthen Scotland’s reputation for cycling as well as heightening anticipation around the Games. Cathkin Braes Country Park will be another world class cycling venue and Greater Glasgow’s first international standard mountain biking course.
Other developments include the construction of the Athletes’ Village, which will begin in Autumn 2010 with the site situated in the East End of Glasgow. This state of the art facility will accommodate more than 6,500 athletes and officials in 1,100 housing units. Post Games the Athletes’ Village will become a residential community including 1,400 housing units which will include 300 homes for rent and a new 120 bed care home.
Another new facility, The Scottish National Arena, will be a new 12,500 seat indoor entertainment and sports arena which will form part of the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC). The Arena is due for completion early 2013 and will host the gymnastics competition and netball finals as well as greatly improving the already world class SECC facilities. The venue will put Glasgow firmly onto the ‘A’ list for attracting future music and sports events.
Changing the face of sports in Scotland
Legacy is about more than just facilities and infrastructure. The social benefits that Glasgow will gain from hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be invaluable to Scotland. An “Active Schools” programme and plans to establish Community Sports Hubs will transform grass roots sport and increase participation across all age ranges.
Paul Bush believes the lasting social benefits of sports events cannot be underrated. “Events have the power to inspire people of all ages and from all backgrounds and increased participation is just one of the ways in which we can measure this benefit. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has a huge following here in Scotland and there is real excitement for welcoming athletes to Glasgow. We predict this excitement will translate into a tangible increase in sports participation which will itself be facilitated by the world class infrastructure currently being put in place.”
John Scott, chief executive, of organising committee Glasgow 2014 Ltd told Host City: “Glasgow 2014 aspires to provide athletes with an outstanding sporting experience and world-class venues in 2014. It is our job to ensure that the Games go without a hitch, and that everything is in place, on time and to specification. The Games will put Glasgow firmly on the global arena for major events, and leave a lasting social, economic and cultural legacy for people in Scotland.”
For further information on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games visit www.glasgow2014.com. For information on Scotland’s wider sports events portfolio and how EventScotland is working to strengthen Scotland’s events industry visit www.eventscotland.org
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