Guest article by a representative of the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation.

As excitement builds towards the opening of London 2012 and with the focus of the media firmly fixed on sport, we are entering a crucial phase for delivering on the promise of a lasting legacy of participation in sport that was at the heart London's successful bid.

Delivering this legacy though means more than just developing the next Phillips Idowu or Jessica Ennis, it is about inspiring young people to lead healthy and active lifestyles.

Whilst the Olympic park will hopefully provide a world-class venue for elite sport, the level of community use at the site is still uncertain and there is a pressing demand for a start-of-the-art venue in London that will be used by members of the public on a daily basis.

Recognising this need, Sport England have been working hard to deliver community focused projects through their Places People Play scheme. They have pledged £2m from the Iconic Facilities part of this programme, towards the creation of London's largest not-for-profit indoor sports centre for community and school use in South Bermondsey.

Surrey Canal; London's Sporting Village will boast fully accessible, world class facilities for; Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Badminton, Hockey, Netball, Table Tennis, Football, Gymnastics, Climbing and Swimming.

The Sporting Village will also be home to a number of national governing bodies of sport, ensuring that the venue becomes both a centre for sporting excellence and an inspiration to those in the local community.

Surrey Canal is a prime location for delivering grass routes Olympic legacy. It sits in one of the most deprived wards in the whole of the UK and with one in four people aged under nineteen, there is huge potential for an explosion of sporting talent from a region that has previously produced the likes of Rio Ferdinand and David Haye.

Despite such a young population, participation rates in sport remain low and worryingly 22% of year 6 school children in the borough are classed as obese. Fostering an enjoyment and passion for sport in young people is key to delivering a lasting Olympic legacy and it is vital that people get into the habit of playing sport at a young age. A major factor in the poor uptake in sport is the sheer lack of facilities that are available in both Surrey Canal and South London as a whole[1].

The Sporting Village will be at the heart of a wider £1bn regeneration scheme that will see this deprived quarter of south London transformed into a vibrant and new thriving place. With sport as the driving force behind this landmark project, the emphasis will be on shaping a community around active lifestyles and healthy recreation.

By focusing on community participation and using sport as a catalyst for wider social and economic regeneration, the Surrey Canal scheme will be helping to deliver Olympic legacy long after the curtain has fallen on this historic summer of sport.

[1]http://www.surreycanal.com/pdf/FOLDER%207%203.01%20Supporting%20Reports%20v1%20A4/4%20Regeneration%20Statement.pdf

This article was written by a representative of the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation. It was written for public viewing and comments and does not represent any of the views of the Sports Think Tank. The Sports Think Tank does not represent any organisations in connection with the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation.

If you have any thoughts whether you think community groups want iconic facilities or smaller and perhaps more easily accessible facilities, do let us know by commenting below.