The Burns Street project puts down roots
RonnyW | 06.09.2005 14:28 | Culture | Free Spaces | Technology | Nottinghamshire
The 'Area For' media squat project, based at Burns St in Radford, is becoming more established and making a real impact. The project is moving into its next phase. The crew have started clearing and opening up the ground floor of the squatted building, in order to turn it into a community resource.
Links: Workday this Sunday | Photo Gallery | Previous feature article
The grand plan is that there will be an open public space on the ground floor, with facilities such as a bike workshop, free wireless internet, an Indymedia facility, refreshments for donations, and random creative stuff. It is still something of a blank canvas, and neighbours are being invited to chip in ideas of their own, and to come along on the afternoon of Sunday 11th Sept, in order to offer pairs of hands for the hardcore cleaning and DIY session. The previous work day (pictures) in which the garden was cleared, was a great success.
The last few weeks have been hectic and happy for the squatters, with a constant flow of exchanges with Council officials, neighbours dropping in and donating furniture, constant maintenance tasks, film nights, painting sprees, networking with potential supporters, and feeding computer cables through doorways. Messages of support have come in from all round the world, and the project seems to have surged forward with a momentum that nobody quite anticipated.
'Area For' can be seen as a blueprint for a future model of living, based on people disregarding Council waiting lists and taking responsibility for their own circumstances in a positive and practical way. It is creating ripples in Nottingham, and the next few months will prove very interesting indeed.
RonnyW
e-mail:
ronnyworsey@gmail.com