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| Pollution Fears Hit Olympic Slalom Course |
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2007-10-11
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With less than 5 years to go before the 2012 Olympic Games a huge spanner has been thrown into the planning of the canoe slalom event following concerns regarding pollution and contaminated land.
The multi-million pound canoe slalom course was originally planned to be built at Spitalbrook, an area on the edge of the Lee Valley Country Park near Broxbourne outside London. However recent tests have revealed that the cost of cleaning up the land for this venue would be prohibitive given budget and time restrictions.
Initial investigations had identified Spitalbrook as having a low risk of contamination.
But further study found the presence of hydrocarbons, such as petrol and diesel, and tar products, most likely from the light industry that once used the site. Spitalbrook also lacks a layer of clay beneath the surface, and Britain's Environment Agency is concerned that contaminants could be leached across the site.
The alternative site, also owned by Lee Valley Regional Park Authority is currently used intermittently as an overflow car park to the 'Showground' site. It lies between Waltham Cross and Theobalds Grove stations.
An artificial, 300-meter competition course and 100-meter warmup course will be designed for the canoe slalom, with a capacity for up to 12,000 spectators. |
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| Further Info: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-6982354,00.html |
| Submitted by: james |
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