New weed boats for Games
TO MAKE sure the waterways around the Olympic Park are kept free of weeds during the Games, two weed boats, including an harvester have been purchased.
We are told the rivers and canals in East London will form a backdrop to the London 2012 Games, and keeping them clean and weed-free will be more important than ever this summer. British Waterways, with funding from the Environment Agency, has launched two new weed boats that will service London's waterways during the Olympics and beyond.
Invested
Over £60 million has been invested in regenerating East London's waterways, and after the London 2012 Olympic Games, local volunteer groups will 'play a leading role in the on-going protection of their waterways', working alongside British Waterways staff in operating the weed boats.
A spokesman for British Waterways relates:
"Volunteers have played a vital role in helping make the rivers and canals spick and span for the summer as part of the Big Waterways Clean Up 2012. In addition, the Olympic Delivery Authority has cleaned up the waterways within the Olympic Park with funding for dredging and through liaison with British Waterways. The Olympic Delivery Authority has designed the park landscape to pull back the river and canal banks and make the waterways a prominent part of the park.
"The clean-up campaign aims to involve at least 4,000 Londoners in more than 80 events, transforming over 50 waterway locations along 30km of rivers and canals by July 2012. The Big Waterways Clean Up is allowing as many people as possible to take part in and share in the green legacy of the London 2012 Games."
Encouraged
As part of the Big Waterways Clean Up, local people are being encouraged to get involved and send in their suggestions for a name for the weed boat. The winner will be invited to christen the boat at the first volunteer event after the Games, where the name plaque will be unveiled.
The name needs to be 10 characters or fewer to fit on the boat. Email your suggestions to