By Rob Fawdon from Paris, Nov 5, 2015: The Board of Directors of the Paris 2024 Bid Committee has selected the Pleyel area by the River Seine, in the Seine-Saint-Denis district of Paris, for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Village, as part of its Games Plan in its bid to host the Games in 2024.
The proposed Pleyel Olympic Village will cover an area of 50 hectares across the districts of Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen and L’Île-Saint-Denis close to the city centre of Paris. The choice of Pleyel highlights how Paris’ vision for the 2024 Games focuses on creating an athlete centred plan that will offer Olympians inner-city convenience and comfort. The local area will also be developed in a sustainable way in line with the new measures adopted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through the Agenda 2020 reforms on Olympic Games sustainability.
The Pleyel Olympic Village will additionally offer great access to two of the main proposed 2024 Games venues – Stade de France (chosen to be the Olympic Stadium) and the planned Saint-Denis Aquatics Centre – which will both be within two kilometres of the Village. Therefore, 84% of athletes will be able to reach their competition venue in less than 25 minutes. The selection of Pleyel also means that there is space and capacity to build the Media Village nearby.
The integration of the river environment into the Olympic Village plan as a recreational space, and the proximity of heritage buildings such as the City of Cinema and the renovated Maxwell Hall, will provide athletes with a unique, relaxing and distinctive atmosphere. In addition to its culture and heritage, the Pleyel Olympic Village will offer the ideal location for athletic training and preparation – with approximately 480 training venues located less than 30 minutes away.
In 2024, the Pleyel Olympic Village will enjoy a fully accessible and high class public transport service. The future Saint-Denis Pleyel station and its Grand Paris Express lines, as well as the existing Stade de France – Saint-Denis station and Carrefour Pleyel station, will form a major transport hub of the metropolis that will fully serve the Olympic Village location. The road access will be equally comprehensive due to the close proximity of the A1 and A86 express ways and a specially constructed new road interchange – making the Pleyel Olympic Village approximately 20 minutes away from the city centre by car.
The selection of Pleyel for the Olympic Village was also linked to its strong legacy potential for the local community. Following the 2024 Games, the Village will be converted into a new ‘Eco City’ with 3,500 homes for local people. Once finalised, this innovative and environmentally-sensitive area will form a diverse, pleasant and multi-functional urban centre in the heart of Paris. The district of Seine-Saint-Denis faces long-standing and deep-set social and economic challenges, but it also offers tremendous assets and opportunities. The transformation and regeneration of this area of Paris is already underway and the hosting of the 2024 Games will further accelerate these inner-city improvements.
The Pleyel Olympic Village, featuring at the centre of Paris’ overall Games Plan, would provide a home away from home for more than 15,000 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and other National Olympic Committee team members from more than 206 nations.
Tony Estanguet, Co-Chairman of the Paris 2024 Bid Committee, said:
“The Olympic Village is a symbolic venue of the Games that brings together 10,500 Olympic athletes and 4,350 Paralympic athletes from all sports, all countries, all cultures and all religions. This diversity illustrates the values of Olympism, excellence, friendship and respect and transforms the Village into a unique place in the world. The Olympic Village must welcome the athletes and provide the best possible conditions as they are the most essential component of the Games and the ones who make the magic of the Games happen. The chosen location for the Paris Olympic Village delivers on all of these fronts.”
Bernard Lapasset, Co-Chairman of the Paris 2024 Bid Committee, added:
“The Olympic Village in Pleyel will be a positive and enriching experience for Olympians in the heart of Paris. We are very grateful to the local stakeholders in the city that have worked together to make this excellent proposal in Pleyel viable and with the full support of all the local communities. Today I want to thank them for their investment throughout this long assessment period, and their commitment to making this project come to life.”
Etienne Thobois, Chief Executive of the Paris 2024 Bid Committee, remarked:
“Our decision today to select Pleyel will further strengthen the Paris 2024 bid and reflects our strong will to place the experience of the athletes at the heart of our project. The proposed Olympic Village will be located less than two kilometres away from the Olympic Stadium and the planned Aquatics Centre. For 84% of athletes, it will only take 25 minutes to reach their competition venue. We believe we have made the right decision for all the Olympic Family.”
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, added:
“The selection of Pleyel for the proposed Paris Olympic Village in 2024 is a major milestone for our bid which the whole city can be excited about. It will serve athletes from around the world in a great location near Paris’ city centre – offering comfort, convenience and easy accessibility. The Olympic Village and Media Village will also be wonderful additions to the city post-Games and central components of the positive legacy that will be enjoyed for many generations. The transformation of this area of Paris is already underway and the Games will accelerate the regeneration of this young, dynamic and creative district.
It faces strong challenges but, with 35% of its population aged under 25, it also offers tremendous assets, skills and opportunities. It is very close from the centre of the capital and yet too many of its inhabitants have been left aside in the past. The Games will help to create strong links that will benefit all residents and communities. They will also make a huge impact with new homes, new public transport facilities, new jobs, new business opportunities and new public spaces to live, work, visit and play. The Pleyel district will become a modern, inclusive and sustainable urban environment with a total of 5,000 excellent new homes and pleasant inner-city landscapes that local residents and visitors alike can enjoy.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.