Commonwealth Games will put Solihull at ‘the centre of the sporting world’

Solihull must seize every opportunity from being at “the centre of the sporting world” in a few summers’ time, a meeting has heard.

This week the council outlined its vision for making the most of the Commonwealth Games, which will be hosted by neighbouring Birmingham in 2022.

With the NEC one of the sporting venues, boxing, badminton and table tennis contests will be among those actually held on borough soil, with visitors from around the world set to descend.

Although, Solihull has admitted that some of the work to “ramp up” preparations will need to wait on certain key roles being taken up over the border in Birmingham.

And the competition itself is not without its critics, with lingering concerns about the £778 million cost and some of the developments which go hand in glove with the games.

Cllr Joe Tildesley, cabinet member for leisure, tourism and sport, said he wanted Solihull to be “absolutely at the forefront” of the event.

“The [question] I keep asking is when Solihull can start selling itself to 71 member countries,” he told his decision session.

“This is an opportunity for the whole of the West Midlands – for Solihull – for two weeks this will be the centre of the sporting world. And we should absolutely embrace that.”

Ruth Tennant, the council’s director of public health, said it was hoped both athletes and spectators could be encouraged to stay in the borough.

“We know the games are coming, there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes,” she said.

“What we are starting to see is a lot of activity taking place but we’re still, in planning terms, quite a long way from the games, so there’s a lot we don’t yet know.”

And she also spoke of the “prize” of using the enthusiasm surrounding the competition to encourage groups such as young people to get active.

Although securing a lasting “legacy” beyond the closing ceremony has proven difficult with previous sporting events.

Cllr Flo Nash (Lab, Kingshurst & Fordbridge) said things seemed to have gone quiet following the initial flurry of publicity.

“They’re spending millions on it aren’t they, so I think people are thinking ‘well we don’t hear that much about it’. We do need to have Solihull involved.”

Read more: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/commonwealth-games-put-solihull-the-16894165