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Andrew Pelling

for Central Croydon

Build it and they will come: a new Crystal Palace?

18 January 2010

As London wonders the Olympic legacy, and as the nation considers how best to mark Her Majesty the Queen's diamond jubilee, I put a concept to Olympics Minster Tessa Jowell would be a fitting response to both concerns.

At Oral Questions today I suggested to Ms Jowell that Crystal Palace should be rebuilt, and I was pleased that the Minister thought the concept a "very good idea [which] justifies further examination."

I set out the exchange below:

6. Mr. Andrew Pelling (Croydon, Central) (Ind):

If she will make it her policy to promote the sporting facilities at Crystal Palace as part of preparations for the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell:

Yes, Crystal Palace sports centre is an official London 2012 pre-games training camp—no surprises there. Essentially, the onus is on Crystal Palace to market itself to the international teams to train at the venue. There are incentives, however, with £25,000 from LOCOG available for every national Olympic and Paralympic committee to encourage them to use official pre-games training camps. I hope to visit Crystal Palace again before the end of this month.

Mr. Pelling:

The Minister is very supportive of Crystal Palace. Given that it represents the internationalism of the 19th century which, in some ways, is mirrored in the Olympics now, might we do well to co-ordinate the setting of a foundation stone for a new Crystal Palace with the timing of the Olympics and the Queen’s diamond jubilee?

Tessa Jowell:

I am sure that that very good idea justifies further examination.

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