Glasgow - Host City of the 2014 Commonwealth Games

Friday 9th November 2007 will be remembered as one of the proudest days in Glasgow's history. In the city of Colombo, the capital of  Sri Lanka, delegates attending the General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation voted Glasgow as the host city for the 2014 Games.

This will be the largest event ever held in Scotland, taking place over 12 days from Wednesday 23rd July - Sunday 3rd August 2014, featuring a total of 17 sports.

Every community across Glasgow will play a part in making the 2014 Games a memorable occasion - the Clyde Gateway communities more than most.

The opening ceremony will take place at Celtic Park. The whole area around this historic stadium will be transformed beyond recognition, with a new National Indoor Sports Arena and Cycling Velodrome being built on the site directly across London Road, while the Commonwealth Games Village will be on the other side of Springfield Road.

These newly built venues will host the badminton and cycling events, while the Games Village will be capable of housing 8,000 athletes and officials.

The Legacy of The Games Beyond 2014

One reason for Glasgow's bid for the 2014 Games being successful was the fact that the event would contribute to the continuing regeneration of the city.

More than £350 million will go towards the construction of the new facilities within Clyde Gateway. But they are not just there for the duration of the Games - the Arena and Velodrome will attract top-class international sports events for many years to come.

Just as importantly, the Arena and Velodrome will be made available as affordable leisure and recreational facilities for use by local residents, as well as being training venues for top-class Scottish athletes.

Sports organisations and other businesses will also be housed in new offices being developed alongside the new venues. Clyde Gateway will be playing its part in trying to ensure that as many of these new jobs will go to local people.

But perhaps the most exciting legacy of the 2014 Games for the communities within Clyde Gateway concerns the new housing that will make up the Games Village.

After the athletes and officials have gone home, the Games Village will be turned into a new riverside housing neighbourhood for the East End of Glasgow. There will be 1,400 houses, including apartments, terraced, semi-detached and detached houses, of which 1,100 will be available to buy, while 300 will be managed by providers of social rented housing. There will also be a new 120-bed care home for the elderly.

It is planned that construction of the Games Village will begin in early 2011.