Thousands of residents came along to the Council's free carnival
event 
Inspir8tion
on Sunday to welcome the Olympic torch from Beijing to London.
The party really got going once the sun came out, and the
atmosphere was buzzing in anticipation of the closing ceremony in
Beijing.
The event, which was held at Redbridge Cycling Centre in
Hainault - the first piece of Olympic legacy in London - also saw
guest of honour Craig MacLean, Sprint Cycling World Champion 2002
and Olympic Silver Medallist 2000, raise the Olympic flag to mark
the beginning of London's term as the host city for the Olympic and
Paralympic Games 2012.
"It's a great track. To have something like this on your
doorstep"
Craig, who also took time out to speak to young Olympic hopefuls
and tried the track out for himself, said of the centre: "It's a
great track. To have something like this on your doorstep... I'm
quite jealous."
Cllr Mrs Loraine Sladden, Mayor of Redbridge, officially opened
the Cycling Centre and welcomed the crowds to the
carnival.
She said: "Today is a demonstration of our commitment to the
London 2012 Games and just a taster of the way we intend to
celebrate the spirit of the Olympic Games during the next four
years.
"This is a double celebration as we are also marking the opening
of the Cycling Centre, which is a fantastic facility for cycling
enthusiasts from across London, but more importantly for local
people in our borough."
"fantastic new facility will help us encourage more people [to]
get active"
She added: "This fantastic new facility will help us encourage
more people get active and take part in a range of sports and
physical activities - and who knows for some of you, it could take
you all the way to the Olympic Games in 2012."
The Air Carnival which was performed by members of Emergency
Exit Arts brought the cycle track to life as the colourful dancers
and musicians weaved their way through the crowds on to the
stage.
The carnival culminated in two spectacular human catherine
wheels, in keeping with the cycling theme, and an impressive
firework display.
Youngsters queued up to try their hand at the 10 metre climbing
wall, used pedal power to create their own smoothies and proved who
was the fittest in a shirt or squirt contest - an endurance bike
test to be the first to empty their tank where the loser was
squirted with water.
Cyclemagic also gave visitors the chance to try out a variety of
bikes from across the centuries.
While Redbridge was welcoming the Olympics to London in
spectacular fashion, guests were able to capture the memorable
moments of the closing ceremony in Beijing on a giant screen.
All in all it was a day to remember for all who came to mark the
occasion.