by Sharon » Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:43 pm
I think perhaps it is time that HG got a little more actively involved in what happens in Glasgow.
It is us that live and work and play in the city, we should be making our opinions known. Especially as we have the means at our disposal to do so via the website.
It been much talked about - idly over a beer usually - but perhaps it is time that those that actually make the decisions about what happens were made to listen to our collective voices.
When I started Hidden Glasgow it was out of a spirit of discovery and a way of connecting with the city. The forums came later as a way to meet up with like-minded people who were also truly interested in Glasgow and ALL that is contained in it.
Three years on; it’s time to take stock of where we are now.
The first question that’s been of concern to me, "What is Hidden Glasgow?"
It started off as a few people, curious, exploring the traces of the remaining industrial and abandoned Victorian heritage and hunting down anything a little out of the ordinary. As the population of the forums grew, the number of projects grew and a process of documenting the city in an informal way began. This in turn has developed into a large collective of "observers" who are contributing to a wide ranging photographic survey of Glasgow. Previously unmentioned, this is how I see us currently.
Which then poses the second question "What should Hidden Glasgow become?"
This is a much harder question to answer and it been much talked about - idly over a beer usually. As a group its becoming increasingly clear that there is a feeling of helplessness as landmark buildings are so efficiently eradicated from the city landscape only to be replaced by ill informed and soulless generic structures.
So perhaps it is time that those that actually make the decisions about what happens were made to listen to our collective voices and that we are no longer merely documenting what happens but taking an active role in the shaping of what Glasgow becomes.
So, the aim? To make Hidden Glasgow a voice that IS HEARD and referred to not just by the councillors, but also the planners and architects. They would all benefit from making more informed and reflective decisions.
Ahhhhhhhhhh, that’s the ideal anyway. Given that you can't actively make people come and read the website, other more visible actions should also be taken.
This doesn't cover the whole range and philosophy of what HG is all about, but it’s a starting point for discussion.
Ok, the floor is now open. Discuss.
Last edited by
Sharon on Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Beware of yawning dogs.