Saved for Olympics

Published: 27 August, 2010

• IT was with great delight that I saw that Islington will be able to play a part in the Olympic dream, with the Sobell Centre becoming the training ground for volleyball.

It’s a wonderful opportunity for our community and shows that demolition is not always the answer for buildings which have lost their sheen.

However, while Councillor Paul Convery has taken this opportunity to bash the Lib Dems for their demolition plans, it was in fact the then Green Party councillor Katie Dawson who proposed a motion to the council calling for an abandonment of plans for demolition.

Given Cllr Convery’s comments, you would have assumed that Labour supported the motion. However, both parties voted against it.

At the time only the Greens, along with community campaigners, were pointing out how ridiculous it would be for the Sobell to be closed during the Olympics when interest in sport would be at its height.

While Green Party London Assembly members continue to push for a sustainable games with a real legacy, here in Islington we are happy to have helped ensure there is a ready-made venue available.

We will be monitoring the situation to ensure local people, and in particular young people, benefit from the presence of Olympians at the Sobell.

My question would be: if the Olympics had not been around the corner, would the council be so quick to save and champion?

BECKY WRIGHT
Islington Green Party