GAMES SITES, VILLAGES and OTHER FACILITIES I^Mw^
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^v;v- “• • GAMES SITES, VILLAGES AND OTHER FACILITIES i^mw^ » " i 'c à f " . I Jfa :U«i.c^^. ^ Ï- H ■'; i> i- ''. - iifMll? r liî 1 i < « 1 1 : Preparations of the games sites, villages and other It was necessary to ensure well-coordinated ad facilities necessary for the Tokyo Olympic Games ministration of all these various facilities, and close were initially instigated five years before the event— liaison was a most necessary factor. It was, there in the autumn of 1959. It can be more specifically fore, very important to have some efficient means said, however, that the preparations begun in of ensuring smooth contacts among all the facilities, earnest with the preparations for the Third Asian and this was made possible by various transporta Games, held several years before the Olympic tion and communication facilities. The initial pre Games. paration activity therefore consisted in making an A city hosting the Olympic Games is required to overall plan for facilities by taking into account fulfill a number of important conditions. Among the factors of ease of coordination among them. the most important of these are undoubtedly the The initial overall plan showed clearly the mutual games sites, villages for athletes and the other relations among the various facilities, and as studies facilities required for the smooth operation of the of various facilities progressed, smaller technical Olympic Games. One of the considerations behind problems began to be exposed. Efforts then were Party on 18th October 1964, comnieniorating the 70th anniversary of founding of IOC the preparations of the Olympic facilities should made to solve these problems technically, and probably be the importance of constructing sports wherever this proved impracticable, the overall facilities which can be used not only for the Olym plan was restudied. At times then, changes were pic Games, but ones which can be adapted after made even in the overall plan. Ih e plaque showing a bust of Baron de Coubertin which was unveiled at the Main Stadium on 10th October to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the IOC founding wards for the benefit of the citizens of the host It is felt that the well-balanced nature of all the city. All facilities for the Tokyo Olympic Games facilities for the Olympic Games were made jjossi- were in fact constructed in this spirit and for many ble by the early and thorough overall planning, and of them, consideration was included to prepare in particular, the planning of minute details. This sites which would be useful after the Olympic gigantic work was left in the hands of a single f Games while at the same time providing facilities organization (a consultative Committee of the Or of high technical standards to meet the demanding ganizing Committee)—the Special Committee on 1 ( requirements of the Olympic Games. Other of the Facilities and its subcommittees. facilities were constructed to make them adequate There were six subcommittees, viz; Subcommittee and fitting memorials to this meaningful occasion, on Overall Plan for Facilities, which studied the or to allow them to remain in the future as symbols progress of the plan as a whole; Subcommittee on of sports activity. Facilities for the Games, which deliberated on the The overall facilities prepared for the Olympic actual venues for games; Subcommittee on Trans Games include games sites (at 30 places), villages portation Facilities, which made special studies of (at 6 places) and other related facilities (at 4 the transportation facilities connecting the various places). facilities; Subcommittee on Village: whose field These can be divided further into three headings covered the problems related to all facilities in the —existing facilities; facilities constructed for the oc village; Subcommittee on Related Facilities, to cover casion with permanent use in mind; and those facili the problems of communication facilities; and a ties executed only for temporary use. Some of the Subcommittee on Lawns; which studied the problem existing facilities were able to be used without any of lawns, turfs and grasses. These six subcommit alteration, while some others had to be expanded or tees acted independently in various stages of the improved. The newly facilities were mainly those preparation for the facilities, but the Sjrecial Com- which could be adapted for permanent use after the mitee on Facilities at all times maintained overall occasion of the Olympic Games, while the temporary control. facilities were those constructed especially for the As it has been observed, the preparations for the Olympic Games and which would therefore be re Tokyo Olympic Games were officially begun on moved after this event. 30th September 1959, with the inauguration of the Source : Bibliothèque du CIO / IOC Library 1 114 115 Orjranizing Coniniittec. A draft proposed however, for facilities within the capital. It became neces of these relevant factors and in the belief that this plan for the Villages was restudied. The first prob for the facilities of the Tokyo Olympic Games had sary then to obtain the cooperation of nearby pre plan would provide the optimum facilities for the lem concerned an accurate estimation of the num already been presented to the International Olym- fectures and cities in order to ensure appropriate purpose required of them, from the facilities availa ber of athletes and officials which would participate ]j1 c Committee at its 55th Session held in Munich in and adequate facilities. ble. in the Tokyo Olympic Games. This was to serve May of that same year. It was this draft plan which Under these circumstances, as well as from the as the basis for deciding the size of the Villages. served as the basis of study by the Organizing Com standpoint of the problem of responsibility for their Basic plan for Villages The basic plan for the At first, the number was estimated at a total of mittee. The Subcommittee on Outline of Facilities uses and maintenance in the future, the prepara Villages was included in the submission presented 8,000, including 1,500 women. This figure was first handled the plan, and later in November of tions for the Olympic Games facilities involved four to the 55th Session of the International Olympic arrived at on the basis of the number of sjjorts the same year this work was taken over by the parties: the National Government; Tokyo Metro Committee. The contents of the basic plan, how expected to be contested and the records of past S]jecial Committee on Facilities. In principle, the politan Government; adjacent Prefectures and ever, were not necessarily the results of a thorough Olympic Games attendance. After further careful ])lanning called for the completion of preparation Cities; and a number of private organizations. study, as this had been formulated before the final study, however the plan for the Villages was finally of all facilities by August 196,3. It was not however Facilities which could afterwards be used on a na decisions had been reached on the actual sites of formulated on the basis of an estimated number of until the end of 1962 that final decisions were tional scale for National events were constructed the Afillages. The sites finally decided on were in 6,500 men and 800 women. For the various facili reached on all j)lans, including those for venues by the National Government, while the construc fact in some cases at locations different from those ties to be included in the Villages, a plan was for games, villages and other facilities. With the tion of those which would later be adapted for mentioned in the original submission. With the formulated by consulting the reports of the Berlin cxcejJtion of some facilities, fairly definite decisions various activities of the citizens of Tokyo were decisions on the Village sites obtained, the basic Olympic Games, the Helsinki Olympic Games, the had been made by the s]3ring of 1962, and designs undertaken by the Tokyo Metropolitan Govern for construction, or construction itself, were under ment. The prefectures or cities constructed facili Sports venues used for Tokyo Olympic Games Distance way by the time the overall plans for all facilities ties also with a mind to their future adaption for from Construction Approximate No. Venues & Games Area C apacity were officially apjmovecl. use by the regional residents, while the private Village The study of all facilities other than details of organizations constructed facilities to meet their 1 National Stadium Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 4.4 Nat. Gov’t E xtended 71,6)} Opening & Closing Ceremonies; certain tem[)orary ones, then had been completed own specific respective needs. Athletic events; F ootball; by the spring of 1963, and the jjreparations then Selections of facilities from among the existing Equestrian events 2 Prince Chichibu Memorial Football Field Minato-ku, Tokyo 4.3 Re-constructed 17,690 moved into the construction stage. ones, or decisions on plans for new facilities were Football 3 Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 4.4 Tokyo Met. Gov’t 6,500 With a few excejjtions, most of the facilities were made after studying the existing facilities and avail Gym nastics 4 Tokyo Metropolitan Indoor Swimming Pool Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 4.4 3,000 able to be used at the Tokyo International Sports able land in and around Tokyo. Having first made W ater-Polo 5 National Gymnasium Shibuya-ku, Tokyo — Nat. Gov’t New construction 11,300 Week held in October 1963 the year before the selections from the operational standpoint, the final Swimming & Diving 6 National Gymnasium Annex Shibuya-ku, Tokyo — 4,000 Tokyo 01ymj)ic Games. Even in the case of those decisions were then reached after taking into ac Basket-Ball >> 7 Shibuya Public Hall Shibuya-ku, Tokyo — Shibuya-ku 2,200 facilities where construction had been somewhat count all the other factors involved.