Living near Sydney I thought it appropriate to write an article about the build up towards a city preparing to host the modern day Olympic games .

According to legend more than 2500 years ago Jason and the Argonauts began a sporting event in Olympia . There were
no Gold medals then for winning , it was just a social event were men could show off their superior speed , strength and stamina .

The modern Olympic games were the brainchild of Frenchman Pierre De Coubertin and now in the 21st Century the Olympic games have become the biggest multi-sport event in the world .

I wonder if the spirit of the games today continues to carry the flame that Jason had sparked in Olympia in 776BC .

Final preparations for the 27th Olympic games to be held in Sydney , Australia are now in place .
The Lord Mayor of Sydney has recently spent over one million dollars on flowers to decorate the City .
Computer software experts have arranged video game terminals
for visitors to compete against well known athletes in on line
versions of the Sydney games .
Almost 20,000 extra public phones will be installed across Sydney.
Millions of dollars of advertising programs for shop windows around the City are presently being considered .
While the games are on traffic will be peak hour every hour of every day and transporting people to and from the Stadium has been a major concern to the Olympic officials from day one .
A 35 million dollar up grade of Sydneys Central Railway Station
is still under construction , as are the building of major roads in and out of the city , to and from the Homebush Stadium .
New services to shuttle people , food , and essential services
are well in order .

With over 197 nations competing in the Sydney games there is already provision made for the half a million spectators , as well as the 10,000 athletes and their families , 5000 Olympic officials , and 15,000 members of the media . All of these people have accommodation , and will be made comfortable during their stay .
A choir of 6000 voices with full orchestra has been busy rehearsing everything for the opening ceremony .
Another group of musicians has been practising every national anthem in the world .
Millions of dollars have been spent on new clothes ,and uniforms for all the performers and athletes . There has been no expense spared to dress up the city for the occasion .

20,000 school children will be putting on a display of dance
that will show the many aspects of Australia .

Also ablaze in new uniforms will be the railway ticket collectors , taxi-drivers , and bus drivers .
6 million dollars have already been spent on a firework display that organisers promise will be the greatest the world has ever
seen .

Special task forces have been set up to combat any possible threat to the games . The security issue has been a number one priority for SOCOG to ensure there will be no serious trouble at the Sydney 2000 games .

Guided tours for visitors that will be on offer range from sitting on the back of a Harley Davidson , to sitting back in a stretch limo taking in all the Sydney sights .
According to the Irish Embassy here in Australia , in excess
of three thousand visas have already been granted to residents from Dublin that will be here for the games .

Many people who own private homes are renting out their properties for the duration of the games .
It is amazing what some people are asking for rent but even more surprising is the amount other people will pay for rented accommodation in Sydney and other areas while the Olympic games are here .
Most of the big hotels were booked out as soon as Sydney was selected as the host for the 2000 games . As it stands at this stage there is virtually no accommodation left in Sydney .

Recent ads on TV here in Australia sends out the message ,
“ Its time to clean up the neighbours are coming” .

Community groups have organised working bees and teams of people are picking up rubbish that lies all over the place .
New coats of paint are being applied to old and dulled out homes around the outskirts of Sydney . There was a lot of talk about knocking down some of the older buildings and even getting rid of the many telegraph poles that line the main roads to the city . A news report recently spoke about a plan to shift homeless people from the streets and shelters during the period the games are on .

For the past few months an intensive clean up has started to remove all graffiti from buildings , buses ,fences , trains , and statues that can be seen in many areas around Sydney .

October will be here before you know it , so take your
armchair seat and share the spirit with us here Down Under .

We all deserve a medal at times for doing the everyday things we do . We don’t necessarily have to be a sportsman or woman to compete with others , life itself gives us a competitive edge .
So in a sense we all carry the flame Jason of Argonauts fame
had sparked many years ago .

By Paul McCann