A river runs through it It is more than a year since Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opened to visitors and this summer, the public got the chance to explore the park from a different angle, by taking a boat tour. Now the tours have been extended until December, giving residents the chance to see and hear how the once industrial waterways have been transformed. East End Life enjoyed one of the trips. THE area that is now Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park used to have a series of industrial waterways – known as the Bow Back Rivers – running through it. Ahead of the London 2012 Games, the Canal & River Trust worked with Olympic delivery agencies to build a new lock at Three Mills to control the water levels on the network of rivers and create an environment where new wetland habitats could thrive. Bio-engineering firm Salix planted 400,000 wetland plants into 11,000 ‘pillows’ and rolls made from coir fibres, and positioned them alongside eight kilometres of riverbank. In addition 30 species of water plants – such as reeds, rushes, irises, grasses, sedges and wild flowers – were grown at the company’s nursery and transplanted to the Olympic Park. The legacy of the waterways is now apparent as the river is once again a thriving wetland habitat for fish, amphibians and birds, including reed buntings, kingfishers and grey heron, all of which have been spotted in and around the islands dotted along the route. The rivers can also host activities such as canoeing and rowing in the shadows of the iconic Olympic venues. Leela O’Dea, ecologist for the Canal & River Trust, said: “The trust’s role in the sustainable delivery of the Olympic Park was so much bigger than the building of Three Mills Lock and the dredging and habitat work we led on. “Throughout the planning stages we supported numerous authorities with technical, engineering and environmental advice to ensure that there was no detriment to the navigation and that improvements in habitat and water quality were made.” Ms O’Dea said the trust looked forward to seeing the waterways evolve and mature. East Londoner Josephine Roberts is a commentator on the 45-minute boat tour along the Waterworks River to the River Lea. En route Josephine explains how the river, bordered by four boroughs, including Tower Hamlets, runs like a spine through the middle of the park. Visitors can see bridges built using recycled rubble from the park development and art installations, including crayons, which act as mooring posts on the river. Carpenters Road Lock can be seen, back in working order, as well as Luton’s Lock, which is due to be opened this winter. The London Aquatics Centre, above, is one boat tour, below. Tours last about 45 minutes and run daily on the hour, subject to tide and weather c Stratford Waterfront Pontoon (adjacent to http://queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk Walkers enjoy the scenic view along a river path The ArcelorMittal Orbit looms large in the distance 18 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 27 OCTOBER – 2 NOVEMBER 2014
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