Olympics: for most cities 7 years isn't enough to build lots of infrastructure

Dead fish in Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro (Photo: Ricardo Moraes / Reuters)

In 2009, Brazil's bid for the 2016 Olympics was chosen, giving the country 7 years to build and/or prepare the facilities and infrastructure for the event.  This week, USA Today reported ("Rio backpedals on key legacy projects before Olympics") that Brazil's plan to make the Guanabara Bay suitable for rowing events--the Bay is seriously polluted--and proposals to expand the subway system, and a social housing upgrading scheme for Rio de Janeiro's slums (favelas) will not be realized.

Also see these past blog entries:

-- (Not enough time for a) 2024 DC-Baltimore Olympic Bid (to make sense)
-- Big sporting events (World Cup/Olympics), economic development and trickle down economics
-- US bidders for the 2024 Olympics winnowed to Boston. DC temporarily escapes the drumbeat to pay for a new Redskins stadium

Other resources:

-- Civil Engineering 164, May 2011 Special Issue: Delivering London 2012: planning and people, Institution for Civil Engineers, UK
-- Civil Engineering 164, November 2011 Special Issue Two: Delivering London 2012: Infrastructure and Venues, Institution for Civil Engineers, UK

-- arq, Architecture Research Quarterly, published by Cambridge University Press, has just published a special issue evaluating the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics.

The introduction to the issue, "Materialising the Olympic legacy: design and development narratives," by Juliet Davis, is open access through the end of March.

Abstract: The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London has a fantastic opportunity to lead the way in sustainable living for its neighbours across London and beyond. However, sustainability in the Park goes beyond the environment. It is also a story of social equality and employment, and of economic growth and prosperity.