Georges X Chalkboard
Street Furniture Discussion Document
some proposals for improving our area -
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to promote discussion, thought and debate on the subject of street furniture, public works, civic plantings and on the physical state of Woodside more generally. This is not published in order to have the final say, but to promote others to respond to the suggestions I'm making.
Contents
Proposal 1 – page 1 [On notice boards]
Proposal 2 – page 3 [On Historic and important public works]
Proposal 3 – page 5 [On seating arrangements and common areas]
proposal 4 – page 7 [On civic planting arrangements]
Appendix 1 – page 9 [Community Councils and Notice boards]
Notices – Public Notice Boards
As recent publicity for Woodside Community Council and the experience of other community events have shown. Woodside is devoid of specific notice boards for community events that are owned and controlled by representative organisations throughout the district.
There is the option of paying the Royalty bar some money for an advertisement.
If the event is not in any way critical of the GHA then there is a possibility of publicizing it through the 'residents' notice boards on the St George's estate.
Events can also be publicized by local shops (many of which charge).
Equally fly posting (which of course naturally cannot be condoned by the community council as it is illegal activity) could potentially also be used.
The bottom line here however is that publicity for community events does not have any straightforward avenues for distribution. All of the above options require that a community event organiser has to be quite motivated, or have the cash to shelve out.
Rural community councils have often lead the way on this situation, by developing networks of community notice boards which have become well-used for publicity for community events and well perused by potential attendees many rural community councils have at a stroke made themselves more relevant and positioned themselves at the heart of their communities.
Greater Woodside has 12,000 residents. If we were to establish notice boards throughout this area I believe we would see greater community activity. I believe it is a fundamental mission of community councils to encourage community activity and to make it easier for ordinary people to get active in their neighbourhoods, as this can only enhance democracy, participation in the issues of the day, and social cohesion.
We propose the adoption of 2 large A0 or greater notice boards at both Queens Cross [where the current seating is] and St George's Cross [on the Corner of Clarendon Place]. (cost £218 - £258). This would allow for notices of large events for the whole area. They would also serve as prominent signs advertising the community council and allowing us to publish our news and announcements to the community effectively..
Supplementary Proposal:-
We also propose the adoption of several smaller notice boards throughout the district. These would be A2/A3 and would function to allow residents groups and small community associations and activities to be publicized in the areas which are involved.
We see key areas these could be located ast being on Trossachs street, in Grovepark Gardens, at the pedestrianised juncture between North Woodside Road and Windser Street, at Napiershall street/Burnbank Gardens, at Cedar Court, off Cedar Street at the seating, In the centre of Braid Square, and at one side of the pend beneath the abandoned community flat at Raglan street. (total cost if position is fully adopted £413 - £455)
See appendix 1 for a short listing of other community councils with notice board facilities.
Historic and important public works
In common with most place in Glasgow has a fair number of important, historic, or otherwise significant public works. However equally in common with the rest of Glasgow most of these works are badly kept, have seen significant diminutions, and apparently have no statutory protection.
We propose that we keep an independent register of all these works, that we lobby the council and other authorities for increased protection for those public works that we hold on our register, and that we set about at once repairing improving and repairing those which have been worn down over time.
Murals and Mosaics
Located on North Woodside Road, and Napiershall Street, the 'Community' mosaic – a pleasant area of the district (see also proposal three) – has been eroded and risks failing into such a state of disrepair as to become an unpleasant mess. Mosaics which are left to dwine away do nothing to improve an area. In fact they make it look shabby. This mosaic needs to be repaired relatively urgently
murals on the side of community central halls, and at the gable end of a row of tenements at Queens Cross have also been significantly bleached by the action of the sun and the elements. This is also true of the mural behind the bowling green at Cedar Court. A plan should be enacted to ensure that these murals are regularly repainted.
Statues and Sculptural Objects
The key feature of the Woodside area (indeed it's on our website) is the statue at St George's Cross of some Arab chap on a horse laying into a defenseless reptile. It's a nice statue, but more should be made of it. The white wrought iron fence that surrounds the statue is rusty and badly kept. The ground surrounding the statue (a tasteless dull mono block) has not been weeded in many a year, and the statue itself (despite being of bright blonde sandstone) is a dark grey with dirt and is covered in moss. This is a focal point for the whole area. It should be treated as such.
Further up the road, at Cowcaddens there is a memorial fountain. While doubtless this is slightly outside of our boundaries it is absolutely criminal that this beautiful object has been filed with concrete and left to rot. I propose that we contact Garnethill Community Council and Dundasvale Community Council and together draw up an action plan for this fountain.
The Peggy Weir memorial bench was obviously installed as both a mark of respect and the community's anger and defiance at the violent crime taking place in the area. As such, given the current anti-social behaviour troubles and the presence of criminality and drug dealing in our midst it is very important that this symbol is well maintained, and receives recognition by our list, and whence statutory protection. Currently it is heavily scratched and in need of a repaint.
A certain crocodile at Braid Square is also in need of some maintenance and a paint. The George's Cross Chalkboard has been speaking with local youth about the colour scheme (the present most popular being 'all the colours of the rainbow')
Plaques
The area has two plaques of note – namely the newly remade 'Men of Lyon Street' plaque, situated inside St. Joseph's R.C. Primary School, and the plaque that sits on Raeberry Street on the site of an old kirk (now a block of flats). Both of these plaques should appear in a register of important public works.
There are also a number of other plaques and inscriptions around the area which should receive some thought and attention.
Other...
The wee tree at Hopehill Road/North Woodside Road/Maryhill Road junction was rescued from its home in the chimney of a local glaziers when that building was knocked down. It was then placed to grow alongside trees that rapidly superseded it in height. This is a great shame given its relevance as a community symbol. Far be it from me to call for a 'save the wee tree' campaign – there are more important things in life – but it's something that ought to be thought about.
The new tenement flats on Maryhill Road all have prominent stained glass windows. These should all go on the register, and specific protections be sought for them.
seating arrangements
There are in total 9 seating arrangements in the district at my count (I could be slightly off!). What is common to nearly all of them, is that they are in a state of disrepair. Seating is damaged, in need of a repaint, or otherwise disheveled and detracted from by poorly weeded public areas surrounding the seats. It represents a statement of disregard for the area that would not be tolerated in my places.
We propose first of all that photographs are taken of all seating arrangements, and that these are published to the community, the press and local authorities, along with a statement that Woodside Community council aims to address the problem. I think we should then organise a community clear up, removing all weeds and (pending consultation) we should adopt a specific colour scheme and design for all public sating arrangements. We should, I feel, make a regular thing of this. The council have shown that, despite years or residents complaints, they are either unable or unwilling to act to improve common areas throughout this district. We shall have to do it ourselves. Moreover it will make the community council more visible and it is entirely in keeping with the role of community councils generally (neighbouring Woodlands and Park Community Council engages in this sort of activity regularly). Furthermore I think that we should then erect small notices on the sights concerned, along the lines of “seating improved and maintained by Woodside Community Council”. We should include a symbol of the community council as well.
Furthermore I would like to propose that we look into constructing a series of seating arrangements at the canal. In conjunction with Possilpark community council, Hamiltonhil Residents Association and Ruchill Community Council I would like to propose that we site three to four seats at Bairds Brae. The area is popular with anglers, dog walkers, walkers and joggers. It therefore seems like a good idea that if we have a natural community hotspot of activity that we should provide for it. I propose also that we situate two further benches spaced out between Bairds Brae and the knoll overlooking Queen's Cross. These could be situated either facing Westercommon, or the city, both views are among the best in Woodside.
common area arrangements/
community squares and spaces
Woodside is bestrewn with squares, open spaces, public areas. These tend by and large to be ill used. Kids perhaps sometimes play football on them. Sometimes people rest their legs on their walls having carried heavy message bags from neighbouring shops. Generally however that is it. We don't see them being used for what they ought to be, which is an arena for public space. We should see people socialising in these spaces, taking them over for residents events, barbeques.
If this were in any other country we might expect this to happen. Because it is currently not happening we ought to look at ways in which we may be able to promote it happening – proposal one is one way in which we may be able to do this. However this is perhaps digressing from the purpose of this discussion document
There are a number of structural things holding these areas back from fulfilling their proper purpose. The first is the issue of neglect. It is simply not on to let three foot tall weeds grow (as they did last year at the seating arrangements and public areas of Clarendon street) up through cracks. People are unlikely to look upon their community and their areas as being something to be enjoyed if they look atrocious. I propose the same strategy for tackling this problem as was proposed for the seating arrangements.
Equally another problem which detracts from areas such as these fulfilling their civic function is when work is carried out which distrupts these areas and then subsequently they are not restored to the way they were before. Which foreman was it that saw fit dig up the lovely granite mono blocks at Windsor Street to lay something beneath the surface of the road, and then replace those lovely blocks with tarmac? It has left big gouges in the road surface. Or in Cedar Court where due to complaints about insecure paving slabs (mostly on steps), the council tore up a huge section of not unattractive yellow paving to replace it with a B road quality tarmac. that was put in place a full year ago and was never resurfaced properly. In the meantime the actual slabs people were complaining about are yet to be replaced.
The community council should issue guidance notes on construction work to be undertaken in these areas. If they are not obeyed then we should make contractors lives difficult for them. In the meantime we should pursue a full repair to the area at Windsor street, and in consultation with the local residents association (Cedar Tenants Association) we should try to pursue a repair to the public space there.
The other issue that arises in relation to such public areas is one of poor design. The subcommittee on anti-social behaviour is undertaking drawing up a plan with residents of Braid Square and Raglan Street so that will help, and the George's X Chalkboard is launching 'Modeling Maryhill', a community plan. We should get right behind this latter initiative because with the clout of the community council we can make that a success. If anyone has any architect friends that will certainly be of some use to both initiatives.
We have held discussions about plants and planters in the community council before. Specific concerns have been raised in relation to theft, vermin, position and size. Certainly some of the planters that have been recently removed were large enough to house trees. Peter has also talked repeatedly about hanging baskets – I have included a suggestion for hanging baskets in this area.
'Planters' is a very vague term and covers everything from vast metal arrangements in stately homes down to a plastic tub from Lidl's filled with a few begonias. To specify what I am talking about here is something roughly the size of a very large garden planter (for example a half barrel).
In answer to the first concern about theft, in part this is due to the presence of shrubs – people always like to pinch shrubs, and the second reason is that this is a working class area with glaring social problems. You are going to get a few morons who will attempt to steal things even if they are actually of little value. It's a meanness of spirit that certainly isn't going to be challenged by an equally mean churlishness. Indeed if we try and improve our area and involve as many people as possible in doing it up and improving life for the whole community then we are much more likely to see less of this kind of thing as people recognise that the only person they're stealing from is themselves. At the moment this kind of thing is only ever enacted by a distant civic authority which people feel is unrepresentative and aloof to the point where few bother to vote at all, and where decisions are as often as not taken by officers of the council who have never been elected. Is it any wonder that people don't batter an eyelid from stealing from such an institution – it's not seen as being anything to do with them.
in terms of the vermin issues that have been raised. This is arrant nonsense. To follow the logic of that argument there should be no litter bins, because bins hold neuks and crannies where vermin can hide. Equally we should get rid of drains. if we were to have followed this logic absolutely then we'd end up with a far greater vermin problem then when we started. The problem with vermin is food lying about to encourage them. It has categorically nothing to with street furniture.
Onto the proposal. At Clarendon place we should see strategically placed large planters such below. These should be wholly consistent of flowers. At key junctures such as the end of Clarendon Place we should see groupings of three or four planters alongside these 'Cake tops'.
All key roads in the district should also be marked by planters every 15 – 20 meters along the road. By Key routes I mean New City Road/Clarendon Place/Maryhill Road; St Georges Road; Garscube Road; North Woodside Road and Napiershall Street. They should also have every lamppost marked by a hanging basket. Lesser roads such as Hopehill Road; Cedar Street; Grovepark Street, and Raeberry Street should get similar treatment by being marked at either end with a cake top and perhaps occasional groupings interspersed along the route, but less regularly.
It is also vital that at the Queens Cross and Round Toll areas we stress by our plantings that these are major crossroads, so I propose that we place three 'cake tops' at the paved triangle in the middle of the cross at the round toll, along with a central arrangement of several planters. Queens Cross too should be marked by cake tops.
COST!?!
But We have mentioned nothing of the cost of this proposal. It could represent a substantial outlay for a small organisation such as the community council? Well it does. Indeed we're probably talking of an expense well over a thousand pounds even if we can get people to carry out the work for free. However we have lots of advantages as a community council. I have spoken to the tyre man at the Round Toll and he is more than happy to give us as many tyres as we need to complete the project – he has to pay for them otherwise. These can then be used to make the ground level planters after they have been painted. Substantial work but we have lots of willing children and community spirited people living in this area. If we think of ourselves as a small committee that's what we will be, however I would hope that community councilors have the nous to recognise that we can bring a lot of others on board with our activities if we make a creative attempt to involve everyone in the work of improving our neighbourhood. Otherwise we can petition the council to undertake the work and they can continue to ignore us. I think it is a far better idea instead to just get on with improving our area.
Pending discussion of the above proposal I will present a detailed costing, a business plan, apply for some grant assistance and we can start to move ahead for the summer.
Best Wishes,
Georges X Chalkboard
Appendix 1
[A small collection of community councils with notice boards, from a cursory search]
Glasgow Broomhill Community Council 5th March 2003: "There followed
some general discussion on the question of (i) expanding the display size of
the BCC notice board in Crow Road, and (ii) possible locations for additional
notice boards in the Broomhill area. Suggestions for additional locations
included: the Norby Road shopping centre, Randolph Road at Crow
Road/Randolph Gate, Clarence Court. CCRC suggestion noted (letter dated
13/02/03) that grant funds may be available through the West Area Forum.
FURTHER ACTION: LW to raise the issue at the next meeting of the local
Forum. The Secretary to follow up GCC contact provided by CCRC on the
general question of planning permission for notice board(s)."
http://www.broomhillcommunity.org/htm/docs/Min%20BCC%20253%20Marc
h%202003.htm
Glasgow Broomhill Community Council (2): "Local Events: The Community
Council is happy to see its Notice Board made available to promote
community events. Please get in touch with our Secretary on 334 6486 or
through our website."
http://www.broomhillcommunity.org/news.htm
North Knapdale Community Council: "Residents at Cairnbaan indicated that
one noticeboard was not sufficient for residents living on both sides of the
Canal. NKCC is only able to supply one to each community because of the
cost and it would be better to determine the best place for the whole
community to view the noticeboard. ... displayed in Tayvallich Noticeboard
... displayed in Achnamara Noticeboard ..."
http://www.tayvallich.com/NKCCMinutes.htm
Dunblane Community Council: "Minutes of all meetings are available on ...
the Community Council Notice Board in the High Street "
http://www.dunblaneweb.co.uk/community_council/index.htm
St Andrews Community Council 5th July 1999: "5.3.2. Community Council
Noticeboard - I [the CC secretary - AF] have one key, who has the other(s)?
It would be helpful if Archie Strachan had one to keep bandstand concert
posters up to date."
http://www.louisxiv.demon.co.uk/standrewscc/1999/9907agenda.html
Huntly Community Council: "Minutes are ... displayed on the Community
Council Notice Board in the Stewarts Hall Window on Gordon Street "
http://huntly.net/community/huntly.htm
Murrayfield Community Council 16th August 2005: "Notice Boards: Robert
Smart had submitted drawings for a Community Council notice board
outside the Prego Store at Western Corner. He had asked the Planning
Department to attach the drawings to the application submitted in
November 2002, which had been withdrawn because the wall on which the
notice board was to have been placed had been demolished. He would deal
with the proposed notice board at Saughtonhall Recreation Hall at a later
date."
http://www.roseburn.dsl.pipex.com/mcc/Minutes/CurrMins/currmins_4.ht
ml