01-12-2006, 03:09 PM
Olympic Boulevard cements Melbourne's 1956 legacy
The wondrous history of Melbourne's 1956 Olympics has been set in concrete with the formal renaming of Swan St, Melbourne as "Olympic Boulevard" and the unveiling of a number of commemorative plaques in the Olympic precinct.
Lord Mayor John So said the 1956 Olympics was the "impetus behind creating Melbourne's sporting precinct which has been the scene of so many amazing memories during the last half century".
"There is no city in the world that can boast such a range of sporting arenas and facilities in close proximity to the CBD.
"A recent study by London based researchers ArkSports found that Melbourne was the world's sporting event capital and this honour is due in no small measure to the legacy of the 1956 Games," he said.
The installed plaques depict significant Olympic buildings as well as the original 1956 Olympic site layout. They were designed and crafted by well known historian and artist - Ross J Bastiaan. Ross kindly donated his time and effort to the project.
The wondrous history of Melbourne's 1956 Olympics has been set in concrete with the formal renaming of Swan St, Melbourne as "Olympic Boulevard" and the unveiling of a number of commemorative plaques in the Olympic precinct.
Lord Mayor John So said the 1956 Olympics was the "impetus behind creating Melbourne's sporting precinct which has been the scene of so many amazing memories during the last half century".
"There is no city in the world that can boast such a range of sporting arenas and facilities in close proximity to the CBD.
"A recent study by London based researchers ArkSports found that Melbourne was the world's sporting event capital and this honour is due in no small measure to the legacy of the 1956 Games," he said.
The installed plaques depict significant Olympic buildings as well as the original 1956 Olympic site layout. They were designed and crafted by well known historian and artist - Ross J Bastiaan. Ross kindly donated his time and effort to the project.