GIANT Olympic rings became the crowning glory on Tower Bridge today, marking the countdown to the London 2012 Games.
London 2012 chairman Lord Coe and mayor Boris Johnson were among the
VIPs who watched as the Olympic rings – 25 metres wide and 11.5 metres tall –
were lowered into place on the central London landmark on the River
Thames.
The rings, which weigh three tonnes, cost £259,817 to produce and installing them is estimated to have cost £53,000.
All costs have been met from the £32 million Look and Celebration budget, which will be used to back free cultural events across London.
Lord Coe, a two-time Olympic 1500m champion, said: “The Olympic
rings are an iconic symbol, inspiring athletes and uniting people around
the world. To athletes they represent the culmination of thousands of
hours of training and reaching the highest level in sport.
“With one month to go to the Olympic Games opening ceremony, these
spectacular rings on one of London’s most famous landmarks will excite
and inspire residents and visitors in the capital.”
A light show, complete with beams of changing colours and intensity, is set to bring the rings to life tonight.
It will put into action Tower Bridge’s new lighting system,
involving 1,800 special energy-efficient LED lights, 2,000 metres of
energy-efficient LED linear lights, 5,000 metres of cable and 1,000
junction boxes.
The Yorkshire-made rings are attached to a modular aluminium grid which is 17m by 22m. Together they weigh about 13 tonnes.
walesnews.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment