Aldershot Garrison gears up for 2012 Olympics

[Anth]

The Army's world class sporting facilities and accommodation at Aldershot Garrison in Hampshire has been chosen by the British Olympic Association (BOA) to host the UK's Olympic team for their 2012 games preparation.

Fencing at Aldershot Garrison's world class sporting facilities
[Picture: Aspire]

The decision to make Aldershot Garrison, often described as the home of the British Army, Team GB's London 2012, Pre-Olympic Games Preparation and Processing Camp was announced today, Tuesday 15 January 2008. The decision was based on a proposal from a partnership comprising Aspire Defence, the Army and Rushmoor Borough Council. Other possible contenders were Bath University and Loughborough University.

Simon Clegg, BOA Chief Executive, said:

"After very careful deliberation over the past few months the BOA panel has concluded that our preferred choice should be Aldershot. In reaching this difficult decision we have taken into account the following factors: availability of sports facilities and accommodation, maximum critical mass, local transport, access to Stratford, security, access to quality medical facilities, closest replication of Olympic village environment, logistics and potential. Overall, Aldershot provided the best total package to meet our requirements."

Aldershot is one of the larger garrisons occupied by the Armed Forces, with about 4,700 regular troops. It is host to several formation headquarters, including HQ 4 Division, and a number of logistic and mechanised infantry units.

The facilities incorporate the Army Centre of Sporting Excellence as well as the Army School of Physical Training which have been used for training by more than twenty Army Olympians since 1908 when the first military personnel competed in the games.

The Garrison hosted the Olympic Equestrian, Shooting and Modern Pentathlon events of the 1948 London Olympic Games and its Olympic traditions run up to the modern day with Army athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, who trained at Aldershot, taking two gold medals at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

Chief of the General Staff, the head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt said:

"I am delighted that Aldershot has been selected as the site for the British Team's preparation for the 2012 Olympics. Aldershot has been the traditional ‘home' of the British Army for over a hundred years and I am delighted that it will be the 'home' for Team GB in 2012.

"More particularly, Aldershot has been a centre of excellence for Army sport for many years and therefore is ideally suited to prepare Team GB in 21 of the 28 Olympic sports.

The British Olympic Synchronised Swimming Team has already set up base at Aldershot and uses the Army’s Olympic Swimming Pool
[Picture: Aspire]

"The Army is very proud to have been asked to play a part in assisting Team GB and we will follow their progress and support them all the way. We are able to do this thanks to the massive investment in rebuilding and regeneration that is currently underway in Aldershot under the Allenby Connaught Project, and we thank Aspire Defence for making this a physical reality.

"The Garrison has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Rushmoor Borough Council and this new contract allows them to work even closer together to build a lasting legacy for the Army and the local community."

21 out of the 28 Olympic sports can already be hosted on site at Aldershot Garrison and the British Olympic Synchronised Swimming Team has already set up base there and uses the Army's Olympic Swimming Pool.

In the run up to 2012, all of the 700 Team GB athletes are expected to use the secure, residential camp for training at Aldershot's Centre of Sporting Excellence in order to acclimatise there, in an environment that is similar to the Olympic Village.

The contract will also enable the Allenby Connaught Project, which aims to improve soldiers' living and working conditions by providing improved housing and sporting facilities for 18,700 military personnel at Aldershot and across Salisbury Plain, to be fast-tracked. Allenby Connaught is part of a £12 billion MOD Private Finance Initiative contract managed by Aspire Defence Limited.
The project which plans to entirely refurbish and rebuild Aldershot Garrison, taking what are already excellent sporting facilities to outstanding, was a significant factor in the BOA's decision. During the next four years the Allenby Connaught contract will resurface the athletics tracks, build a new Astroturf hockey pitch and pavilion, build a new combat zone including Tai Kwon do and wrestling facilities, and refurbish existing facilities, all of which were planned whether or not the Olympic Team were to be based in Aldershot.

"We are delighted and proud to be chosen to help Team GB in their final preparations for London 2012,"said Graham Blow, Managing Director at Aspire Defence Services Limited.

"The BOA's decision is a ringing endorsement of the first class facilities and accommodation being provided at Aldershot, as well as the hard work that we, the Army and Rushmoor Borough Council have put in to deliver this proposal.

”As anticipation builds in the weeks before the Games and the country reaches fever pitch, we will provide a focused and secure environment where Team GB can thrive."

21 out of the 28 Olympic sports can already be hosted on site at Aldershot Garrison.
[Picture: Aspire]

Aldershot Garrison's Commanding Officer Colonel Nigel Josling OBE said:

"This is a fantastic opportunity for the Army and Army sport in particular. It has come about because of a fortunate coincidence of the 2012 Games being held in London at a time when Aldershot Garrison is being redeveloped. With sensible management, we are convinced we can provide Team GB with a unique opportunity to prepare for the Games, and at the same time maintain support to our own soldiers.

"It must also be a great opportunity for some of the most talented Army athletes to raise their own game. It will be a team effort in other ways too, drawing upon the longstanding partnership we have with the local community of Rushmoor and the strong relationship we have built with the Project Allenby/Connaught contractors, Aspire Defence Limited.”

The plans to host Team GB have been designed so that no soldiers will be disrupted and they will continue to have access to first class sports facilities during the course of the camp. The provision of facilities for the BOA will be at no extra cost to the MOD and it is hoped that the plans will be a source of great pride among soldiers as the Army continues its long association with British Olympic sporting success.

At the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics in August this year the Olympic torch will be literally handed over to London and a month long cultural event in London and Aldershot will begin the countdown to 2012.

MOD News Link

[Woodmonkey]

Hopefully, they'll wind up with an even better facility when the Olympics are over. What will they do with all the military or will they stay?

[Anth]

The military are staying put:

The plans to host Team GB have been designed so that no soldiers will be disrupted and they will continue to have access to first class sports facilities during the course of the camp.

Apparently there was a specific threat towards our athletes before the last Olympics (Athens) so this should solve that problem - let Al Quida get through loads of squaddies first, then introduce them to the boxing squad

[Woodmonkey]

Good plan