Glasgow 2014 Athletes’ Village is tested

THE Glasgow 2014 Athletes’ Village has been opened to visitors to help test its services for the first time ahead of the arrival of thousands of sportsmen and women from around the world.

The inside of the purpose built rooms where the athletes will be staying. Picture: Phil Wilkinson.

Around 200 guests were invited to stay at the village, tour its facilities and eat in its dining area as part of the build-up to the Commonwealth Games starting later this month.

The guests went through the full process of being a competing athlete arriving at the village for the first time, including staying overnight in the same rooms the international teams and their officials will use.

“This is offering people a sneak peak of the facilities and to test some of the services available,” said Caroline Rogers, the Village Services Manager. “Everyone is going through the same process an athlete would when arriving at the village.”

Located in Glasgow’s East End, the village sits alongside key Commonwealth Games venues, including the new Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

It will be home to around 6,800 athletes and team officials during the Games, with guests arriving from July 13th.

The 35-hectare site has 700 lower rise homes including detached, semi-detached and terraced properties, as well as two seven-storey apartment blocks and a two-storey building which will become a care home after the Games.

The site also includes a 2,000-seat 24-hour dining hall which the test guests got the sample. The venue is set to serve up more than 390,000 meals with more than 2,000 menu items during the Games.

The site includes furniture which was used at the London 2012 Olympics, including around 260,000 items such as sofas, beds, coat stands and wardrobes.

A state-of-the-art medical facility is also provided, where specialist volunteers will work to provide treatment and performance related advice on illness and injury for athletes.

It will open 24 hours a day with services such as physiotherapy, sports massage, pharmacy and emergency dental care available. It also has MRI and CT scanning equipment if this is needed by visitors.

Other facilities include a gym, a retail zone and recreational facilities where guests can relax before and after competing.

In November, the village site will be handed to City Legacy who will complete its transformation into a new neighbourhood of homes for the area.