Tourists can get a close-up look at the transformation of a formerly depressed part of East London into what will be the site of one of the world's largest spectacles when it hosts the 2012 Olympics.
Tour companies are bringing visitors up close to the site of the Olympics in London, where massive amounts of construction and urban development are underway.
"The majority of the games will take place in the massive 500-acre Olympic Park, which is currently a flurry of fenced-in construction in progress on the site of the extensive Rail Lands in East London. Small portions of the site are accessible to the public, and if guided tours are your thing, Blue Badge - that is, professional and registered - tour guides with organizations like Guided Tours of 2012 Sites and Go East London offer two-hour long walk-throughs and bus tours, crammed with details about what's gone into readying the area to host the thousands of expected daily visitors.
A recent walking tour with Tim Martin, a registered guide, was filled with a dizzying list of facts and tidbits about what the plot of land was like before it became a cluster of cement trucks and cranes."
FULL STORY: Seeing the London Olympics, Still in Progress

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

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Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.

Paris Voters Approve More Car-Free Streets
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says the city will develop a plan to close 500 streets to car traffic and add new bike and pedestrian infrastructure after a referendum on the proposal passed with 66 percent of the vote.
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