|
As has become habitual at recent Olympiads, the IBC and the MPC will be on the same site, forming MEDIA CITY, a strip of land
en route to the city and within the City Zone as well as being in close proximity to the Main Accreditation Centre. The two
facilities will have the advantage of sharing a series of services: parking areas, transport and doorman services, bars and
restaurants, travel agencies, banks, shops, health care and others facilitating the work and comfort of the media, as well
as immediate access to Pavilion One which will host the indoor volleyball and one other indoor sport.
The public transport system, offering high mobility and swiftness, ensures easy access to these facilities, as well as
connections to competition sites and training facilities via the Cape Town Metro Station accessible via a proposed tunnel,
many bus lines and the taxi service. A dedicated shuttle bus and train service will run directly to the Olympic Park, without
stops and be available to transport all media persons and spectators with ease. This will place MEDIA CITY within 10 minutes
of the Olympic Park.
|
| An artist's impression of the International Broadcasting Centre at MEDIA CITY |
A proposed "Olympic Spear" Line, a high speed bullet train capable of transporting spectators and media officials
alike from a higly upgraded Cape Town Central Metro Station to Media City en route to the Olympic Park in ten minutes or less
will be constructed. The link will be maintained after the Olympic Games and be extended to the Bellville Station capable
of transporting 250,000 commuters daily,quickly ,safely and comfortably. The new rail line will consist of 4 planned dedicated
Olympic Lines and 3 existing rail lines which will be upgraded to meet the increased capacity of commuters and to more than
meet the transport requirements by the IOC.
The International Broadcast Centre
The International Broadcast Centre, will be located in renovated railway repair buildings along the closest portion to
the City Centre adjacent to the Foreshore and within one minute or walking distance of the Cape Town International Convention
Centre and linked to the Good Hope Centre which will host Table Tennis.
The total available space of around 65 000 square metres, including the central connection joining the areas of the IBC
will be ample to cope with the Media Requirements and is able to be expanded if the need arises. The IBC is the world TV centre
during the Olympic Games. Cape Town proposes facilities capable of comfortably housing the approximately 15 000 accredited
broadcasters with specially designed areas:
1. Office and technical area for the Olympic Radio and Television Organization, including booking offices, broadcasting,
signal distribution centre, commentator line switching centre, archive zone, operations and signal quality control centre
and parabolic aerial park.
2. Studio and control area for TV networks with broadcasting rights. As the halls are designed as the venues for fairs
and exhibitions, the modular nature required in the construction of the studios will be easily resolved, as power, fibre optic
and data transmission points will already be wired and distributed in network form. Specific lorry access has already been
provided for, moreover, facilitating the work of interior construction. A large area will be provided as the main entrance
to the IBC and MPC, and will serve as a transport intermodal changing facility, providing immediate access to the other Olympic
areas, as well as to the city centre and principal hotels. The entire IBC perimeter will be easy to isolate, enabling adequate
access controls to be installed. Thanks to its flexible structure, with high roofs and infrastructure adapted for telecommunications,
the IBC is ideal for housing the accredited media. The technical project is currently being drawn up, whilst construction
work, starting in 2012, will be completed by 2015.
|
| The Main Press Centre will be centered between the Media VIllage and IBC |
The Main Press Centre will be centered between the Media Village and IBC
Main Press Centre
The Main Press Centre, which will be located in the planned Southern strip of the MEDIA CITY site, adjacent to the N1
highway will have a total available area of around 35 000 square metres –sufficient capacity to house representatives
from all the accredited media.. Their flexible structure, with high roofs and infrastructure adapted for telecommunications,
make these halls ideal for their planned purpose during the Games. The Main Press Centre will be equipped to provide sports
results on broadband, meaning voice, image and video as well as data, also in real time. The location of the IBC and the MPC
at Media City in the Cape Town 2016 Project will provide the following:
* Proximity to the Media Village, airport and to the Accreditation Centre
*Proximity to the Olympic Park, which includes the Olympic
Village and the Olympic Complex: olympic stadium, aquatic centre, Olympic
Pavilions and Superbowl
* Many hotels available in the vicinity of the zone
* Accessibility: the site includes excellent transport infrastructure,facilitating media mobility, whether by conventional
public transport or using the OCOG's facilities, greatly reducing travelling time
* Quality of facilities and availability of large, modern halls to meet media needs
* Post-Olympic use guaranteed
The Main Press Centre will be converted into offices and there has been interest by the South African Broadcasting Corporation
(SABC), all three Mobile Phone Networks and other Communications Companies and Corporations to locate their Cape Town Headquarters
in this office location. The Concept is to create a Communications Centre, from which the major communications companies in
South Africa work from, while retaining the amenities of restaurants, parking areas and other services to meet the specific
needs of the new occupant companies. The Area will be transformed further incorporating the new upmarket and slightly renovated
apartment blocks that was the Media Village into the office environment, creating a live, work and play environment for those
who choose to reside at the new residential suburb which will enjoy not only the views of Table Mountain but a clear view
of the City Lights at night.
The Media village will be privately sold and is expected to be a successful venture as the demand for property of this
quality is high. Its location in terms of the city centre and the aesthetics of the site offers further incentive to prospective
buyers. The IBC will converted into a movie studio to aid the growing Cape Town film industry. Pavilion One will either be
dismantled and rebuilt elsewhere where it is needed or will be used as a storage and or technical facility for the new film
studio.
* Exceptional surroundings. The site will be located with Table Mountain and the City lights as its backdrop forming a
breathtaking view and aesthetically pleasing environment for all media persons while at work at the IBC or MPC or whether
at the Media Village. A Canal will run through the proposed Media Village and into the Royal Yacht Club area and parks and
greenery will be incorporated greatly throughout MEDIA CITY, allowing for beautiful and tranquil spaces during and after the
Games.
There will be press sub-centres at all competitions sites and subsites, with real-time connections available, enabling
journalists covering events to post their reports.
MEDIA CITY will truly offer a great legacy to the City of Cape Town and its ability to broadcast live events to the rest
of the world. A new spacious and comfortable environment will be created just outside the city and providing Cape Town with
world class media facilties. In itself the new facilities will provide excellent job opportunities, and workers hired as landscapers,
cleaners, and those completing other tasks will be retained to service the areas as before, but of course at a lower intensity.
|
