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Weighing up the Olympic legacy in Rio

SBS World News Radio: As the Rio Olympic Games draw to a close, the people of Rio de Janeiro are now left to reflect on the legacy the Games will leave on their city.

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Weighing up the Olympic legacy in Rio

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While the Games promised rejuvenation and economic opportunities for all of Rio, locals have mixed views as to what will remain once the torch has passed.

The disassembly of Rio de Janeiro's pop-up stadium has begun.

Massive canvas banners lie in a heap, the jungle of scaffolding that made up the beach-side stadiums now exposed.

Workers have begun the task of taking each pole down, one by one.

But Rio mayor Eduardo Paes says, while the temporary structures will go, the Games have left a lasting impression on Rio.

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"The infrastructure that we built, the environmental advances that we had, I think it's an amazing legacy for Rio."

The stadiums erected in Barra and Deodoro will remain, as well as crowd-moving infrastructure like the subway and the brand new light-rail system.

The high-tech trams are designed to transport 300,000 people per day, easing the crush on urban commuters in a city of more than 6 million people.

Many in the city are happy with what will be left.

"Very beautiful, with a great organisation."

"Clean, with security, no problems."

But an Australian expat in Rio says he has his own ideas on how to fix Rio's traffic woes.

Michael Linke operates pedal- and solar-powered rickshaws.

While he is trialling the machines in Rio, he says he is hoping to roll out a fleet of 5,000 pedicabs to shuttle tourists and commuters alike.

"It's completely silent, non-polluting. It only goes up to 30 kilometres an hour -- that's the absolute fastest -- which is a safe speed."

And to man the fleet, he is hoping to employ drivers from the favelas.

It would be a saving grace for those who, some say, are yet to benefit from the Games

Erik Sousa grew up in Rio's largest favela, Rochina.

He says the Olympics have done little more than damage his community's' reputation, with reports of violence and robberies in the media.

"We are much more than crime and drug trafficking, much more! It was (done) to show the society that its dangerous places were controlled."

Mr Sousa operates sightseeing tours through Rochina for tourists.

But he says negative press has meant a downturn in business throughout the Olympics.

Mr Sousa, hoping for improvements, says the first step would be withdrawing the troops in the favelas.

He claims the strengthened police and military presence was all a show.

The troops will, indeed, pull out with the tourists, leaving crime levels to return to pre-Olympic levels.

But some Rio locals who liked what they saw say it does not have to be that way.

"The problems happen all the time in Rio de Janiero, and we feel that they (were able to) control this moment in a very good way. So, if they controlled this moment, they could control (it) forever."

 

 

 


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