Students from Raheem Sterling’s School Make History
(left to right) Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, James Saunders, CEO, Quintain, Mark Burrows, CFO & COO at The Football Association. Launch of the Olympic Steps at Wembley Park in London. The Olympic Steps project completes today and is part of an area-wide upgrade to Olympic Way. Picture date: Thursday 10 June, 2021. Delivered by Quintain and Brent Council, the Olympic Steps have been installed at the site of the former ramps that led to the concourse as part of Brent’s Area Action plan to replace the 1970s pedway that previously divided the east and west of the neighbourhood. Olympic Steps, Wembley Park, Brent, London. Chris Winter / Wembley Park
Students from the former school of RaheemSterling became part of the history of one of the world’s most famous sporting and entertainment destinations today, receiving an inspirational message from the England footballer himself at an event that marked the completion of the Olympic Steps.
Wembley Park, London’s globally renowned entertainment district and 365-day neighbourhood, marked the completion of the Olympic Steps, the stadium’s elegant new entrance and an expansive new public space, with an event that celebrated the area’s legacy and the young people that will be part of its future. The completion of the Olympic Steps is the latest milestone in the transformation of Olympic Way, the iconic ‘road to Wembley’ which has seen improvements such as repaving, tree planting and the additional of a curated retail offer in recent years. Named after and designed in honour of the 1948 Olympic Games that were held in Wembley Park, the new Olympic Steps and surrounding 12,000 sqm of public space – notably, bigger than the pitch inside Wembley Stadium – will be a new landmark and cultural destination featuring free events for Londoners and visitors from across the globe.
Fittingly, the launch of the public space comes as the UEFA EURO 2020 tournament kicks off and as Wembley Park gears up for its Summer of Play 2021 programme – a 13-week line-up of free, family-friendly events, including live music, public art trails, open-air sporting and exercise, and outdoor film screenings for locals, residents and visitors.
Year 11 pupils at ARK Elvin Academy, a short walk from Wembley Stadium and where a young Raheem went to school dreaming of playing on the world-famous pitch, joined representatives of Brent Council, the Football Association and Quintain to officially open the Olympic Steps at Wembley Park. The Olympic Steps serve as both the new entrance to Wembley Stadium, the journey to which inspires awe and anticipation in superstars and fans alike, and as a new public space for Brent locals, Londoners and those from across the globe.
In a message to the students at ARK Elvin Academy, Raheem Sterling said: “Growing up in Brent, I could see the arch of Wembley Stadium from my home. A short walk away and a lot of work later, I’ve got to do what I love in the stadium and representing everyone who calls Brent home. I am so proud of where I grew up – our community and the growing number of new, accessible spaces for younger members of the community to play and discover their skills and passions.”
Rebecca Curtis, Principal at Ark Elvin Academy, said: “This will be an unforgettable experience for our students. We are so proud to have been part of the launch of this new and historic public space, which will be much enjoyed by young people from Brent like our students and those from farther afield.”
Built by Quintain, the award-winning property developer behind one of Europe’s largest urban transformations at Wembley Park, in conjunction with Brent Council, the Olympic Steps have been 10 years in the making, replacing the pedway built in the 1970s that spanned a coach park that no longer exists. The Olympic Steps provide better access for the needs of older people and those with mobility impairments with the introduction of four new lifts from ground level to the Wembley Stadium concourse. Each lift will be able to accommodate four wheelchair users plus their companions, providing a total capacity of 12 wheelchairs at a time.
Cllr Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said: “Opening the Olympic Steps is a very proud moment. Wembley Park has long been the pinnacle in the careers of many athletes and musicians, and rightly so. I want this new space – accessible and designed to be enjoyed by all – to inspire the next generation. In particular, I hope this new public space outside the stadium will inspire young people from Brent to realise their potential and, one day, make the space inside the stadium as much their own, just like Raheem has done.”
The Olympic Steps mark the final addition to Quintain’s major upgrade of Olympic Way and will deliver 12,000 sqm, or around three acres, of new public space at the heart of Wembley Park. The Olympic Steps, along with the wider works to Olympic Way, form an integral part of the transformation of Wembley Park from a place once only suitable for event days into an exciting cultural district with a thriving local community.
