Address: Stratford E20 Web: www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk Tel: 0800 0722110 Hours: Park, no closures; venues vary by event Entry: park free; spectator prices vary by event On the site of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which re-opened to the public in April 2014, is a triumph of regeneration, fashioned out of four hundred acres of derelict, polluted wasteland. Visitors to the park can now enjoy beautiful green spaces, tranquil waterways, children’s play areas and cafés, as well as top sporting venues, arts and events, and spectacular views from the 376 foothigh ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture and observation tower, which is home to the world’s tallest and longest tunnel slide. Located in Stratford, East London, the park is spread over a large site, bisected from north to south by the River Lea: the southern sector is home to the London Stadium, London Aquatics Centre and ArcelorMittal Orbit, while the northern part houses the Copper Box Arena, Lee Valley VeloPark and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. Many of the former Olympic sporting venues – including the main stadium, velodrome and London Aquatics Centre – are used by sports clubs, athletes and the local community. The Copper Box Arena, for example, is now London’s third-largest arena and can seat up to 7500 people for events such as Premiership basketball, pop concerts and comedy, while the stadium has hosted major sports including the IAAF World Athletics Championships and World Para Athletics Championships in 2017, and the Rugby World Cup in 2015. It is also the national competition venue for UK Athletics and home to West Ham United football club. The London Aquatics Centre hosts events and galas as well as public swimming sessions, while the velodrome at Lee Valley VeloPark can seat 6000 to watch major cycling competitions. After the London 2012 Olympics, the VeloPark was remodelled to make it accessible to riders of all abilities – the BMX track boasts a starter ramp the height of a double-decker bus and a 360-metre course, and there are also five miles of mountain-bike trails, all of which are open to the public. Disabled parking is available at the VeloPark and there is disabled seating in the velodrome. The track and road circuit run disability cycling programmes: check the website (www.visitleevalley.org.uk/velopark) for details of these. Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre has four indoor and six outdoor tennis courts, as well as two of the best hockey pitches in the country. It hosted the Paralympic wheelchair tennis in 2012 and is set to host a number of prestigious events in the future, including the Women’s Hockey World Cup in 2018. All the doors within the centre, including the step-free main entrance, are extra wide and designed for wheelchair access with changing rooms, toilets and showers all specially designed for accessibility. A fully accessible lift also provides access to the upstairs clubhouse and viewing area. Served by Stratford and Stratford International stations, the park is easy to get to from all over London, with nine overground and tube links, all of which are accessible. If you prefer to drive, there are spaces for Blue Badge holders throughout the park as well as spaces at the vast Westfield shopping centre, next to Stratford International Station. Continuing the legacy of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the park has been designed from scratch to be totally inclusive and with the highest standards of accessibility for visitors and employees. All around the park you’ll find good step-free access and hard-standing surfaces, accessible Blue Badge parking close to each individual venue and excellent accessible facilities. A mobility service is operational on selected days of the week to help disabled and older visitors get around, along with facilities to support people with a visual impairment. This needs to be booked in advance via the park’s website. The venues themselves have been specially designed for wheelchair users and non-disabled companions to get unobstructed views as well as having seating that is easy to get to for disabled and older people.