Lloyds Corner .
Informal public consultation (Saturday 4th October 2008)
The following note is based on the comments collected on site on Saturday 4th October and in the Lloyds Pharmacy shop by Paula. I did not have a chance to look at and transcribe the original post it and therefore this note is based on the document produced by Paula. The consultation was very limited and therefore is not necessarily representative of the views/desires of the people using the Lloyds corner. However the following ideas emerge from the comments. (the quotations from the notes are in italics; in italics bold when they come from the board rather than the images, I added the words in red to help understanding the context, the general comments are based on my interpretation)
· Words used to described what the space could look like:
o Nice and colourful
o Simple interactive fun/very funny
o Very green/more green
o Like the paving/looks impressive
o Bushes around trees
o Water feature that kids could play in but area too small/health and safety issues
o Trees lots of them but not too many trees, just a couple of trees
o Trees +permanent space clearing for temporary exhibitions(community)
o The monumental sculpture with colourful background had 5 votes but no comments
o Sculptures
o Not too ambitious
· Need to find a function for that space
o A social Sheltered space, seating and gathering space
o Display local school artworks/art space
o A place to stop and think
o Stop cars driving onto the area
o For kids and mum to relax/art children can climb on
o A small kiosk prompting London Road amenities, used by different shops for the street promotion
o Make you think of the environment (sculpture in paving)
o A market once a week
o Anything that is good for business
o Grow some food/plants
o Milk shake bar
o Temporary big screen for cinema, blades away matches
· Identification of potential problems
o Who would maintain the pots
o Secured to floor
o Make sure it did not block access and visibility
o Perfect invitation for street drinkers to return
o Cobbles unsafe for elderly resident/tripping hazard for the blind and elderly(paving)
o It is likely to get vandalised
o Not a good idea near a main road to have unsupervised children playing
· Other specific suggestions (based on the suggestions on board)
o Re-instate gas lamp
o Dog mess bin
o Solar energy
o Wind break
o A neighbourhood warden
General comments
· Contradiction between preferences for welcoming space to seat, chat, eat…etc and the strong opinion that any sitting arrangement even informal would attract street drinkers, which is perceived to be the main problem by local residents and shop keepers. My suggestion would be to have a temporary arrangement of sitting/shelter may be a mobile café (I have seen that in London and at the wood craft fair in Endcliffe Park), to test/demonstrate the effect of reclaiming the space for other activities rather than unoccupied and neglected.
· The image showing a more informal birch woodland was not selected by any participant; this might indicate that Lloyds Corner is perceived as an urban space; Implying dominance of hard surfaces, visually open and intensively maintained. However in order to create more sustainable urban environment, we (professionals/environmentalists) are promoting more porous surfaces in dense urban locations to allow for rain water to permeate on site and reduce risk of flooding; I suppose the challenge is to achieve the right balance.
· The less inspiring image with the sculptural bike parking arrangement did not get any vote; this might reveal higher expectation for the space, not just functional with uninspiring street furniture?
lounge here!