Hello neighbour,
Welcome to the Garden, Brixton website. You might have just received a leaflet about the idea to bring some disused garages at the top end of Fairmount and Beechdale Roads into community ownership and to turn them into a community space.
Hopefully the blog posts below will give you a bit more information. Do get in touch if you want to know more - the easiest way is to email thegardenbrixton@gmail.com
The first step is to bring neighbours together to get to know each other a bit more, share ideas and find volunteers who want to make this happen. Please do come along and join in the street party, on Sunday 18th September, from 4pm on Fairmount Road. Ideas and help are needed so do get in touch if you are able to bake a cake, organise some children's games or bring some music or if you are able to lend out your tables and chairs on the day.
Looking forward to hearing from you and seeing you on the 18th September!
The Garden Project
ReplyDeleteQuestions
1) The land is in private ownership currently. Who exactly owns the land and what do they want to do with it?
2) How much can the land be purchased for?
3) Who will ultimately use the space?
Community spaces tend to work best when they in public spaces rather than being wedged between well established residential areas.
One of the nicest things about Fairmount Road is that it is relatively quiet. Now that a gate has been erected in the alley way next to number 5 Fairmount Rd to stop its use by prostitutes, we do not want to encourage such individuals back to a clean, user friendly community space.
4) What do the people who live adjacent to the space want done with the area?
Their views are of utmost importance as they will be directly affected by people marching past their door (number 2 Fairmount Road) and making noise in the new space. What we do not want is the space being used by individuals who cause a nuisance to neighbours leading to unhealthy disputes, which may also devalue homes adjacent to the space in the long run.
The use of the space for the “local community” covers is a very broad universe of individuals and we need a better understanding of exactly who will ultimately use the space and what steps will be taken for non-local community individuals from using it.
Does the local community include residents of the neighbouring half-way house and their friends, local prostitutes and their pimps or individuals now loitering at the bus stop on Acre Lane?
What can the space be used for?
To make the space work I actually feel that it will only do so if it is used by residents of Fairmount Road and Beechdale Road only. This is because they will have a vested interest in its maintenance and viability. Unfortunately, experience has shown that users of the space who simply come and go will not value the space in he same way as residents directly next to the space. A few proposed uses are:
- a community space for residents of Fairmount Road and Beechdale Road
- a health & fitness centre providing yoga, gym and a childrens play area
- tennis court, 5-a-side football, basketball play area
- parking for visitors to Fairmount Road and Beechdale Road.
- simply clear the area and leave it alone
There are many suggested uses for the space on “www.gardenbrixton.blogspot.com”. The suggestions are a mixture both interesting, ridiculous and unwise and you can probably guess whether the individuals who suggested these uses live on Fairmount or Beechdale Road or in the broader community. My own views on the suggestions will be aired in forthcoming events:
Dear Fairmount Garages
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your interest in the proposals and comments and I very much share your concern about keeping the space safe and the idea is that it should enhance the local area. I do hope that working together we can find the right answers to the important questions you raise.
It would be great to be in touch and hear more about your concerns. If you have time, could you drop a line to thegardenbrixton@gmail.com ?
Thanks so much
Katherine