Among the venues renamed after the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) handed over control off the Park are the Hockey Centre, which is also due to host the five-a-side and seven-a-side football during the Paralympics, which from now on will be known as the Riverbank Arena, reflecting the venue's location next to the River Lea in the Olympic Park. 

The Handball Arena (pictured), which is also due to host the fencing during the modern pentathlon and goalball during the Paralympics, will be now be known as the Copper Box, in recogntion of its boxed-shape and distnict copper cladding, which helps create a visual reference for spectators travelling to the venue. 

Also being given a new identity is the ArcelorMittal Orbit, which will now be called Orbit Circus to avoid falling foul of the International Olympic Committee's strict rules on venues and landmarks being named after sponsors. 

Other changes announced include the Aquatics Centre Bridge, which forms a 250 metres "Gateway to the Games" from Westfield Shopping Centre, being renamed Stratford Walk and which will be joined by three other main spectator entrances - Greenway Walk in the south of the Olympic Park; Eton Manor Walk in the north; and Victoria Walk in the west.

The other significant change is that the main circulation route for spectators and central spine of the Olympic Park, running north-to-south through the middle of the site, will be known as London Way. 

The changes have been announced to coincide with the 200-day countdown to the start of the Olympics and the fact that British Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured) chose to hold his first Cabinet meeting of the year on the Olympic Park. 

"As we kick off 2012, the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Diamond Jubilee, this is the perfect time for the Cabinet to come together and ensure we are doing absolutely everything we can to make the most of this unique opportunity to showcase all the great things the UK has to offer to the rest of the world," said Cameron.

"As Ministers visit Olympic venues, businesses, schools and organisations associated with 2012 right across the UK, I want the message to go out loud and clear, from tourism to business, sport to investment, we are determined to maximise the benefits of 2012 for the whole country."

The Olympic Park now becomes a live operational site with London 2012 ramping-up work to fit-out venues, and staging testing and licensing events.

Among the challenges they must complete during the next 200 days are fitting out nine competition venues on the Olympic Park to world-class standards including all temporary "overlay" such as timing and scoring equipment, sourcing a million pieces of sport equipment such as 510 hurdles for athletics, 600 basketballs, 356 pairs of boxing gloves and 12 pairs of goalposts for handball and getting the venues ready to host 15,000 athletes and over 20,000 accredited media from more than 200 countries.

In addition there is the construction of 100,000 square feet of Games-time retail space including a 40,000ft2 Mega Store – the flagship and largest London 2012 shop - and building 11 sponsor showcase areas which will provide unique spectator experiences, many of which are large buildings or structures.

Other tasks include the creation of functional spectator areas within the Olympic Park including installing over 1,000 picnic benches, 362 toilet blocks, and 165 concessions, installing ticket box offices, information booths and programme sale points and setting-up back-of-house facilities, including 273 temporary buildings, cleaning and waste compounds, equipment rooms and workforce areas, including seven canteens

"The handover of the Olympic Park sounds the starting pistol in the race to get the site and venues ready to host the two biggest sporting events on the planet," said Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012.

"In just 200 days time, 200 countries – more than the membership of the United Nations – will be sending 15,000 athletes and 20,000 accredited media to London to create history.

"There is huge excitement ahead and we want the whole country to start planning their summer."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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