Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Review

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic park formally reopened on April the 5th 2014 to much fan fare. The park has been completely transformed from it’s Olympic configuration, which may worry many (like me) who had such a great time in that park over the summer of 2012.

Never fear, you will still recognise this as the Olympic park where you watched Mo Farrah win the 5000m on a huge screen, or spent £5 on a cup of cider, but it has had a bit face lift to make it more user friendly to every day people. The video at the top of this page explains everything much better than I can with words, but here is a summary.

 

What’s changed

1. There is no MacDonald’s.

2. Much of the area near the ‘orbit’ has been landscaped to allow people sit on the grass.

3. There are at least 4 permanent shops/restaurants/bars dotted around the park, with 2 or 3 temporary vendors.

4. There is a really awesome (and deceptive) water fountain proving popular with the kids

5. There is a helter skelter (also popular with kids).

6. There are FIVE playgrounds (really popular with the kids, and me to be honest).

7. There is a free climbing wall.

 

What’s not changed

1. The Olympic rings are still there!

2. The main access point is still the big bridge from Westfield Stratford (can access the park through many points however)

3. The ‘RUN’ sculpture is still there!

4. Much of the layout is the same, you should be able to find your way around if you visited before.

 

So it’s the same park, different attitude. Less ‘biggest event in the world‘ more ‘let’s take the kids to the playground’. This is a great place to take the family, or to bring some friends for a picnic. Unlike most parks this isn’t just a big expanse of grass, there are actually loads of things to do and explore, most of them free!

Daniel Pharaoh

Daniel Pharaoh

London Writer and Blogger. Featured in the Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Times.

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