By Jacky Sutton-Adam
How often do we think
about or actively, critically notice where we live?
'' I've been here for
over 20 years, and the houses on my road have quadrupled in value.
There are lots of tourists in the Summer. It's a nightmare getting to
the train station. There are places where I feel unsafe walking at
night. 80% of my work commute is over commons and green spaces –
lucky me!''
 |
| Functional street furniture or urban clutter? |
These facts and
opinions are like a backdrop scenery to my life in Cambridge. In the
busy-ness of 21st century living, it sometimes recedes
into an amorphous blur coloured by whichever emotion I happen to be
feeling most strongly. The result? I sometimes experience extended
'sulks' about Cambridge and this is detrimental to my sense of
well-being.
Last week's
prosaically named workshop 'Place Standard Tool' could definitely do
with a title makeover, but it really helped me to get a grip on what
I felt and why, and to feel connected with others as we shared what
we love and wish we could change about our city. I gained a sense of
clarity about my opinions which was empowering.
''This exercise got me thinking deeply about the City I live in, and I found that as a group we interrogated each point from many angles, exploring many aspects of this diverse place. Some answers were expected, tho' many were surprising. '' - James
