Commonwealth Games.
- Thread starter Weekender
- Start date
Simon Dawson
Angry, Ill & Ugly
And the flying mullet (aka Aaron Gate) wins the men's road race after 3 golds on the track.
ciderglider
pfm Member
Watching the diving yesterday I was struck by how many competitors felt compelled to share their middle name with the world. If you're called John Smith, I can see the point, otherwise not so much.
JensenHealey
pfm Member
I managed to get to the games 4 times. 3 sessions at Athletics and the Gold medal T20 Womens cricket match.
All brilliant - really very good organisation - getting 10's of '000s of people on shuttle buses to/from city centre where even if there was a large queue - it was always moving. Very good cheerful volunteers all over the place and security was thorough and quick too.
Centre of Birmingham has been rammed - great atmosphere everywhere. Only downside - hard to get a meal anywhere - everywhere booked up. The prices at the pop up food village at the stadium verged on the scandalous (I spent nothing there as a result) - but not knowing what the site fees were I am not sure where the money was going.
All brilliant - really very good organisation - getting 10's of '000s of people on shuttle buses to/from city centre where even if there was a large queue - it was always moving. Very good cheerful volunteers all over the place and security was thorough and quick too.
Centre of Birmingham has been rammed - great atmosphere everywhere. Only downside - hard to get a meal anywhere - everywhere booked up. The prices at the pop up food village at the stadium verged on the scandalous (I spent nothing there as a result) - but not knowing what the site fees were I am not sure where the money was going.
SteveG
pfm Member
Grace Reid was in my son's class at school and James Heatly is also an ex-George Watsons pupil that my wife taught - so particularly nice seeing them get gold!
JensenHealey
pfm Member
You should go back and walk around! The university is hugely changed from 10- 12 years ago when I first rocked up to do some schools Xmas holidays workshops. Since then with numerous tours and visits (schools work, 3 offspring uni search tours, some public physics lectures, quite a lot of swimming sessions and 1 daughter has just graduated). When she started 3 years ago they were just embarking on a £500 Million programme of reconfiguring and rebuilds. Those hockey pitches for the games are right by the nearly new 50M pool and sports centre - the old South Car park that was so useful has gone (as has the Gun Barrels pub). The buildings around the Great Hall and tower are all still there.
But...the concrete brutalist buildings? Gone. Quite right too.
Replaced by...a huge new green sloped area that has been created ' the green heart' is running down to the tower.
Engineering, Geography, Chemistry, Library and probably several others - all in new buildings. Big developments of accommodation towards Selly, a lot of that private.
Selly Oak itself rather changed with a new bypass between it and the Uni site. The South Gate only open for a very limited time of day now.
Brand new QE hospital site next door has rearranged the road system somewhat.
The accommodation up in the park is much the same - although there are some extra blocks at the top and off to the side.
And now I understand that the University railway station is also going to be replaced soon with a brand new one (I assume on the same site)
davidsrsb
pfm Member
High Hall where I stayed two years and Ridge gone for these.
In my time Engineering had several buildings
deebster
Half Man Half Biscuit
As a native of the city I've been quite surprised by the positive comments Brum has been getting, with the BBC presenters laying it on especially thick. Though maybe they're using the rather looser interpretation, that appears to include Coventry, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Warwick and even London?
I'm still miffed that the opening ceremony (or the BBC's Sounds of Birmingham programme the other night) omitted Stephen Duffy.
I'm still miffed that the opening ceremony (or the BBC's Sounds of Birmingham programme the other night) omitted Stephen Duffy.
