Over 200 Brazilian competitors and officials are expected to use our National Sports Centre before and during the Games under an agreement signed by Carlos Nuzman, President of both the Rio 2016 Organising Committee and the Brazilian Olympic Committee, and Crystal Palace operators   Greenwich Leisure (GLL).

Nuzman said: “Signing this historic agreement is a major step in the preparation plans for Team Brazil in 2012, while also laying the foundations for Brazil’s planning for the 2016 Games. We are confident that Crystal Palace National Sports Centre will offer the best possible training and preparation environment for our athletes, enabling them to achieve the best possible sporting results.”

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “Crystal Palace is a world renowned centre for sporting excellence and why Team Brazil, with some of the world’s finest athletes in its squad, has chosen it as its 2012 base. The agreement to establish a 2012 HQ next summer will be the first time this style of preparation base has used by Brazil, who are hoping for a good performance to help set them up for Rio 2016. A full range of Olympic athletes and technical staff will be hosted at the Centre, including volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, basketball, taekwondo, boxing, athletics, swimming and diving.

Finally Crystal Palace has some involvement with the Olympics, not just being an also ran stadium to justify legacy bids. “This is great news for London”, said London Development Agency chief executive Peter Rogers. “By coming to Crystal Palace, Brazil’s Olympians will enjoy some of the best sporting facilities in Britain as they prepare for London 2012. The London Development Agency has invested over £17 million bringing the National Sports Centre up to modern international standards. This investment is now being enjoyed by world class athletes and the local community alike”.

Launching the first of a series of consultations, Crystal Palace FC co-owner Steve Parish said they were completely open to ideas and interested in people’s concerns.

“These kind of consultations are to get something that has the minimum amount of objection,” he told an open meeting of Crystal Palace and Norwood Chamber of Commerce. “This is the first of a number of meetings to see what we can we gauge and delivers as much as possible to the park. I’m open to any ideas that are realistic and won’t attract more planning objections. We don’t want to go down that road”.

“What we build there will be decided largely by the finance. If there are other uses we could put it to then potentially we could spend more money on the stadium,” he told the meeting at Patrick’s bar on Westow Hill, Crystal Palace.

Possibilities included a covered roof which would lessen noise issues, an elite sports centre for nine to 15-year-olds, and using the stadium for exhibitions. He highlighted Hull City FC’s new KC stadium which was now the best place in that area for a company to hold an exhibition.

He also asked what they could do to re-invigorate the National Sports Centre, currently run by the London Development Agency on a 120-year lease.

Mr Parish accepted there were problems with transport in the area and with the one way system. But he wanted to discourage people from bringing their cars to the area for match day parking. They would encourage and expect people to use public transport.

After successfully setting up Bromley parkrun, Ashlee Corfe handed over the event to a well trained, confident and friendly team at Bromley. She thought that South London could do with another parkrun and there wasn’t a better place than Crystal Palace Park. “I think that the heritage and the build-up to the Olympics will impact this park and what a time to utilise the space with local runners during this occasion,” commented Ashlee.

When the word got out that parkrun was coming to Crystal Palace the e-mails started flooding in saying that clubs, people, etc were so excited and could not wait to have one near them. Since starting, Crystal Palace parkrun took off and within the first month it has averaged 57 people per week. The volunteer team are extremely dedicated with lots of enthusiasm. The feedback from the participants is extremely positive even though people say the course is tough due to some hills but that is what makes it.

The good thing about Crystal Palace parkrun is that you can turn the day into an outing for the whole family by having a picnic, checking out the Dinosaur area, National Sports Centre and Athletics Stadium or the farm. For more information please visit the Crystal Palace Park website. So what is holding you back?

Come down and experience this high energy, friendly atmosphere for yourself. Even if you don’t want to run but would like to be a part of the team we are always looking for new volunteers.
To register please go to www.parkrun.com or for more information please contact Ashlee Corfe on 020 8323 1718 or e-mail events@bromleymytime.org.uk

Following a major refurbishment programme, Crystal Palace National Sports Centre will be re-opening to the public on Thursday 30th April 2009.

Initially the centre will be operating reduced opening hours, with the main building open in the afternoons (from 2.00pm) whilst further building work is completed.  It is anticipated that the centre will open fully on Monday 25th May.

From this date the following facilities will be available: 50 metre pool, teaching pool, diving pool, training pool, main arena, north balcony, dance studio and multisports rooms.

Until further notice, the gym will continue to be located in the lodge, while work will continue on the dry side changing rooms and squash courts over the next two to three months.

Over the past 18 months CPNSC has benefited from the refurbishment of vital plant and pumping equipment, the replacement and renewal of lights and heating systems and other critical services including a new fire alarm system and improved CCTV.

Further details on opening hours are available at www.gll.org