Commonwealth Games could raise canals profile
A WIDE range of topics was recently covered during the Canal & River Trust's regular online West Midlands users’ forum.
Chaired by Tom Freeland, CRT’s boating and customer service manager in the area, these included delivering on priorities, the management of the environment, let’s keep talking and welcome to life on the canals.
One of the major topics was the Commonwealth Games to be held in the West Midlands from late July to early August next year.
According to CRT, the event is expected to attract 1.5 million visitors and have a global viewing audience of some 1.5 billion, an opportunity that Adnan Saif, CRT West Midlands regional director and his team don't want to miss.
The presentation by Ian Lane highlighted the need to get the infrastructure right in time for the games. He also highlighted the need to take on more than 1000 volunteers to help with visitor numbers and, undoubtedly, to help with a number of events CRT is planning during the event.
A number of green routes have been planned to help get visitors around the various venues hosting the games, with many of these encompassing the local waterway system. Although Ian emphasised that using the canals isn’t going to provide rapid transport, he hopes that visitors will make use of these routes.
Although not announced during the forum, it would seem that work is already under way to get things ready, including work on some of CRT's fleet of workboats. Aqueduct Marina in Cheshire has started work which has to be finished in plenty of time for the start of the games. This includes painting and refitting the boats in the same workshops that have refurbished a number of CRT’s workboats over the years.
It would seem that we and many others around the globe will see a lot of Canal & River Trust branding during the event. And much of this will not be just for the period of the games. Thankfully there is a good chance that much of this preparation work will benefit boaters long after the games are over. A games legacy, you might say!