On Wednesday, the 6th, Rio de Janeiro City Hall presented the conceptual design of Deodoro Olympic Park, where competitions in 11 Olympic and four Paralympic sports will be held at Games time. Construction is scheduled to start in 2014 and finish in the first half of 2016. Venues built for the Rio 2007 Pan American Games, like Lieutenant Guilherme Paraense National Shooting Centre, General Eloy Menezes National Equestrian Centre and the swimming pool used for Modern Pentathlon events will be adapted and used at the Olympics.

 

Three new permanent venues will be built: the Deodoro Arena (Fencing and Basketball), the BMX track and the Canoe Slalom course. The existing Hockey fields will be replaced to meet the requirements of the sport’s international federation. The Mountain Bike course and the Modern Pentathlon and Rugby Arena (where Modern Pentathlon’s equestrian events as well as the combined event of running and shooting will take place) will both be temporary.

 

Just like the other Olympic venues, the project was based on three criteria: economy, simplicity and practicality. Deodoro Arena, for instance, will have 5 thousand places at Games time, but only 2 thousand will be permanent and this will reduce maintenance costs. The venue will be built with a modular structure so that dismantling the temporary part will be easier.

 

So that Canoe Slalom competitions could take place at Deodoro Olympic Park, as initially planned, the venue’s area was reduced by 40% and the design has been simplified, reducing construction costs and, mainly, post-event maintenance. The project has been approved by the International Canoe Federation (ICF).

 

After the Games, the Canoe Slalom course and BMX track will be part of the future X-Park in Deodoro. The Park's facilities are expected to be used for both high performance athletes’ training and the general public’s leisure activities. The site may still include other sporting equipment.

 

The conceptual design also included environmental improvements, in the area of Marangá River, like sanitation, riverbank recovery and delimitation of reforestation areas in the surroundings.

 

Deodoro Olympic Park’s conceptual project was designed by Consortium Vigliecca Marobal, which was hired after a bidding competition held by Rio de Janeiro State Government. The group is also responsible for the preparation of the basic and executive projects that adapt the venues for the celebration and operation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as for the legacy to the city. The Federal Government will be responsible for the investment.