Lord Smith: Games a catalyst for ambitious change

Published on Monday 16 November 2009 21:29

I BELIEVE there are huge opportunities for Scotland as a whole to benefit from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

While the Games are undoubtedly about the 11 days of world-class competition that will be held here, the wider social, business and cultural opportunities that come with hosting the Games are hugely important to ensure the costs reap even bigger benefits. I believe we have an enormous opportunity to inspire people and to be the catalyst for wide-ranging and ambitious change.

The Athletes' Village, a 70-acre site in Dalmarnock, will provide a whole new community in one of Europe's poorest districts: 1,400 new homes, 300 of which will be social housing units, and a 120-bed care home will transform the area into a new and vibrant community.

The Commonwealth Games are central to a long-term strategic plan of economic regeneration and the rationale for this is backed up by the experience of Manchester – the city that hosted the Commonwealth Games back in 2002. The East Manchester SportsCity complex now handles more than 400 sporting events a year, attended by about 4.5 million people.

It has emerged as the "sports capital" of the UK, with so many major sports clubs and sports governing bodies now based there.

The M74 extension and the new East End Regeneration Route will join up the M74 and M8 in the East End of the City and should derive huge economic benefits for this part of the city. Both of these projects will leave a significantly improved transport infrastructure in the city to support future economic prosperity. Also, sustainability has been a key component of the planning for the Games. Games-related construction contracts have had built-in community benefit clauses from day one. Glasgow council has launched the Commonwealth Games apprenticeship scheme and work is underway with a range of bodies to develop a national volunteering strategy for Scotland.

The Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council have announced ambitious programmes of prospective social benefits. The Active Schools programme and plans being developed with COSLA to establish Community Sports Hubs should help to transform grassroots sport and increase participation across all age ranges.

The Scottish Government's programme will encourage a healthier lifestyle and this will be reinforced in schools through the Curriculum for Excellence.

The opportunities around the Games for the arts in Scotland will strengthen and support the cultural sector, increase its profile and encourage new skills development.

I believe the Games will be a resounding success for Glasgow and for Scotland as a whole. The impact on Glasgow will be hugely positive, from improved infrastructure to increased opportunity for business. But even more important is the opportunity for everyone in Scotland to get behind the Games to make them a success.

&#149 Lord Smith is chairman of the Games organising committee.