Local daily paper, The Evening Standard, has taken to covering the Olympic development in practically every issue, not surprising given the size and costs of the venture. There are also weighty expectations on the project to deliver benefits of “regeneration” to this part of town, which has some of the lowest socio-economic indices in the UK and suffered WWII bombings.

Yesterday’s article on on the Fish Island and Hackney Wick areas which border the Olympic park describes the ‘other side’ to this story – the existing wealth and culture of the localities. It describes the art community and existing architectural legacy which can be built on and enhanced with by the Olympic project.

The question is what future for the olympic fringes and this article suggests they should look to other examples of thriving artists quarters such as Shoreditch. The area sits between Victoria Park and the Olympic Village – see the maps in the Tower Hamlets Masterplan document

This particular part of the east end contains many historic buildings from past times when the area was the heart of industrial development, such as the Bryant & May Match factory pictured above, with the Docklands Financial District in the background. The factory was famous for the invention of the safety match and the first working girls strike, which Annie Besant helped promote, and is now converted into flats. The area was mainly served by canals, which are still green and beautiful as you can see in the photos in this blog, but not used for transport so much anymore.

Here are some photos of the area, taken late last year

Looking north up the canal running east of Hackney Wick

Fish Island Area August 2009

Canal around Fish Island and Hackney Wick August 2009

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