大象传媒

One of the official Olympic boroughs, Waltham Forest will be home to the athletes training centre and play host to the paralympic tennis and archery events in 2012.

After the Games, the venue near Leyton will be turned into a hockey stadium, indoor tennis centre and a five-a-side football venue.

A wind turbine, dubbed the 'Angel of Leyon' is also being planned to help power the Games. Beyond 2012 it will provide up to a 1000 local homes with energy.

Winning the Games will change the course of this borough's future but do people who live and work here agree that it's for the better?

SUE GREGORY

Sue Gregory听 from Chingford, has more reason than many to look forward to the London Olympics. Her 16-year-old son Scott, a competing trampolining gymnast, is hoping he has got what it takes to win a place on team GB in 2012.

Sue Gregory, Chingford

She says for too long sport in the capital has been neglected and hopes part of London 2012 success will be to encourage and support more youngsters as well as adults into sport.

"It's such a shame it's taken the bid for us to realise just how much we've allowed sport to be sidelined in this country.

"But with the various new venues being built around London, I hope this means that there will be the infrastructure and resources available for kids, and adults to take up a sport of their choice."

Annika Allen, Leytonstone

ANNIKA ALLEN

From the Annika Allen's flat in Leytonstone the diggers and cranes are just visible. The young mum of two says when London won the bid never thought the Games would really make any kind of impact on her life. Three years on, she has just finished a course in construction and hopes that she might be next in line for a job on the Olympic site.

"I've always wanted to work in construction but found being a women with no experience no-one was really ever willing to take me on. But winning the bid has given me the opportunity to get onto some training courses which I hope will eventually lead to a job on the Olympic site itself."

Mohammed Bangladesh, Leytonstone

MOHAMMED BANGLADESH

Mohammed has lived and worked in Leytonstone for more than 30 years. A local estate agent he's just one of a number of businesses suffering in the current financial downturn. But despite feeling the pinch, Mohammed says he's hopeful the promise of the Olympics will bring with it fresh investment and new business to the area.

"I am optimistic. Things are tough right now for businesses but I expect the Olympics will mean surrounding areas like Leyton and Leytonstone will improve and more people will want to live here. And that will mean better business for everyone."

Tell 大象传媒 London what you think about Waltham Forest 2012 email: kulwant.sohal@bbc.co.uk