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Harvard GSDHarvard GSDD001122D001122

Second SemesterSecond SemesterCore Urban Planning StudioCore Urban Planning Studio

Stories in a Park:Stories in a Park:The Eagleby StoryThe Eagleby Story

Stories in a ParkStories in a Park

Supportive Environments for Physical Activity in Queensland(SEPA-Q)

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♥♥Surrounded by rivers

No public river access until2001

Eagleby, Gold Coast, 1999Eagleby, Gold Coast, 1999--20002000 Beenleigh North?Beenleigh North?

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The The dimensionsdimensionsof of StigmaStigmaSeptember 1999September 1999

EaglebyEagleby: A Snapshot 1: A Snapshot 1•• Bounded by 2 rivers on 3 Bounded by 2 rivers on 3

sidessides•• CCentralentrallly locatedy located: : 30 30 kmskms. .

from Brisbane CBD & from Brisbane CBD & Southport CBD Southport CBD

•• 13.7 square kilometres13.7 square kilometres•• 1996 1996 populationpopulation: : 88500500

•• Approx. 1200 people per square km Approx. 1200 people per square km of habitable landof habitable land

•• Remainder: private farms, schools, Remainder: private farms, schools, shopping centre, small business & shopping centre, small business & open spaceopen space

•• Less than half of land mass habitableLess than half of land mass habitable

•• Virtually no local employmentVirtually no local employment

•• Regarded as highly disadvantaged Regarded as highly disadvantaged by Queensland Government by Queensland Government

Eagleby: A Snapshot 2Eagleby: A Snapshot 2 Eagleby: Snapshot 3Eagleby: Snapshot 3•• one of highest unemployment rates in one of highest unemployment rates in

Queensland (14 %)Queensland (14 %)•• 2nd lowest household income in Queensland 2nd lowest household income in Queensland

(68 % of State average)(68 % of State average)•• Low school retention rates over 16 yearsLow school retention rates over 16 years•• High proportion of young single parentsHigh proportion of young single parents•• High crime rate, drug/alcohol use & public High crime rate, drug/alcohol use & public

disturbancedisturbance•• No bank, very limited shoppingNo bank, very limited shopping•• No decent public transportNo decent public transport•• No locally basedNo locally based industryindustry

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The Public Realm The Public Realm of Eaglebyof Eagleby

19991999

ResidentsResidents’’ PerceptionsPerceptionsof the Public Realm, 1999of the Public Realm, 1999

Naomi HillNaomi Hill The Pontoon & the slope down to the pontoonThe Pontoon & the slope down to the pontoon

The Public Realm, 1999The Public Realm, 1999

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Stories in a ParkStories in a ParkProject TimetableProject Timetable

Three-month project, 2000

12-13 April Step 2 Two-day Training Intensive14 April-4 May Step 3 Interviewing & Story collecting4 May Step 4 Storytelling Workshop5-19 May Step 5 Information Dissemination8-31 May Step 6 Designing Elements

27 May Step 7 Listening to the Nonhuman Voices

31 May Step 8 Design Workshop1-17 June Step 9 Model Building

3 May-17 June Step 10 Celebration preparations

Saturday 17 June Step 11 Community Celebration (Winter Solstice)

Raising Environmental Raising Environmental AwarenessAwareness

Barefoot MappingBarefoot Mappingof Fear and Stigmaof Fear and Stigma

MakingMakingthe Mapthe Map

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MappingAnnotating

Kids Standing their GroundKids Standing their Groundas Eagleby Residentsas Eagleby Residents

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ConfidenceConfidence--Building TableauxBuilding Tableaux

Three Guiding PrinciplesThree Guiding Principles•• 1. 1. StorytellingStorytelling

•• 2. 2. CelebrationCelebration

•• 3. 3. AnimationAnimation

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Step 7: Step 7: Listening to the NonListening to the Non--human Voiceshuman Voices

Deep ecologyDeep ecology

•• Biocentric Biocentric equalityequality

•• SelfSelf--realizationrealization

John Seed OAM

Arne Naess

Joanna Macy

The QuestionsThe Questions•• We were asking what Eagleby We were asking what Eagleby

people thought of the local open people thought of the local open spaces . . . spaces . . .

so . . . so . . .

•• What if we asked the What if we asked the parks parks directly?directly?

•• What does What does nonhuman Naturenonhuman Nature in in Eagleby need Eagleby need ── in its own right in its own right ──to be sustained?to be sustained?

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The QuestionsThe Questionsand the Ethical and the Ethical

DilemmasDilemmas……

Specific objectivesSpecific objectives1.1. ALL BEINGS MATTERALL BEINGS MATTER: : Extend Extend

understanding of what is necessary understanding of what is necessary to design a park where all life matters.to design a park where all life matters.

2.2. CONNECTIONCONNECTION: : Reaffirm human Reaffirm human connection and interdependence connection and interdependence with the natural world.with the natural world.

3.3. VALUING DIVERSITYVALUING DIVERSITY: : Celebrate Celebrate richness and diversity of life on Earth richness and diversity of life on Earth ──specifically in Eagleby.specifically in Eagleby.

4.4. PARK REDESIGN IDEASPARK REDESIGN IDEAS: : Contribute Contribute new and creative insights and ideas new and creative insights and ideas for redesign of Eagleby parks.for redesign of Eagleby parks.

Program11:20 INTRODUCTION TO STORIES IN A PARK & RECONNECTING

CEREMONY

11:45 FIRST STAGE: THE MOURNING

12:30 SECOND STAGE: REMEMBERING

1:00 THIRD STAGE: IDENTIFYING WITH ANOTHER LIFE FORM

1:15 BEING CHOSEN BY A NON-HUMAN LIFE FORM

Picnic lunch

1:45 MASK-MAKING INDIVIDUAL EXERCISE

2:15 PRACTICE SPEAKING FOR THE LIFE FORM

2:45 COUNCIL OF ALL BEINGS3:30 CLOSING RITUAL, DEROLING & DEBRIEFING

3:45 Afternoon tea

4:00 DESIGNING FOR ALL BEINGS IN AN EAGLEBY PARK

5:00 NEXT STEPS

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Ceremonial ground♥♥

My Beloved conducting the eco-milling exercise

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Three stages of the workThree stages of the work

Letting us be chosen Letting us be chosen by another life formby another life formMaking a mask to represent itMaking a mask to represent it

Practice in speaking for itPractice in speaking for it

Program

INTRODUCTION TO STORIES IN A PARK & RECONNECTING CEREMONY

FIRST STAGE: THE MOURNING

SECOND STAGE: REMEMBERING

THIRD STAGE: IDENTIFYING WITH ANOTHER LIFE FORM

BEING CHOSEN BY A NON-HUMAN LIFE FORM

Picnic lunch

INDIVIDUAL MASK-MAKING EXERCISEPRACTICE SPEAKING FOR THE LIFE FORM

COUNCIL OF ALL BEINGS

CLOSING RITUAL, DEROLING & DEBRIEFING

Afternoon tea

DESIGNING FOR ALL BEINGS IN AN EAGLEBY PARK

NEXT STEPS

Mask makingMask making

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Practice speaking Practice speaking for the lifefor the life--formform

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Bob

Graeme Mike speaks for the RiverMike speaks for the River

Judy speaks as Wind

Mike

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ParticipantsParticipants’’ commentscomments

DonDon’’t despair t despair of small of small beginningsbeginnings

GraemeGraeme’’s rationales rationalefor storytellingfor storytelling

•• The stories people tell about their The stories people tell about their communities, the myths of a communities, the myths of a people & a placepeople & a place……determine how they interact, determine how they interact, perceive & use the public space.perceive & use the public space.

•• If we want people to undertake If we want people to undertake more physical activity, they need more physical activity, they need supportive environments.supportive environments.

At a symbolic level, At a symbolic level, the environment the environment of storiesof storiesis as fundamental is as fundamental as the physical as the physical environment.environment.

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Working Working outsideoutside

Secret MenSecret Men’’s Businesss Business

Representation Representation of the Eagleby of the Eagleby StigmaStigma

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Disappointments

written down by residentsandplaced in the belly of the Stigmaduring the day

The Tree of StoriesThe Tree of Stories

Recording more storiesRecording more storiesat the at the Tree of Stories & the Graffiti WallTree of Stories & the Graffiti Wall Graffiti WallGraffiti Wall

Eagleby is trashy when people Eagleby is trashy when people dondon’’t care about our parks.t care about our parks.

Eagleby is the best place IEagleby is the best place I’’ll ll ever live and it is alright the ever live and it is alright the way it is.way it is.

I think Eagleby is a great I think Eagleby is a great community. People should stop community. People should stop putting it down.putting it down.

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BannersBanners

making banners copy.tifmaking banners copy.tif

LanternsLanterns

The Celebration DayThe Celebration Day EntertainmentEntertainment

““Eagleby is a nice little place.Eagleby is a nice little place.””

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Graeme telling redemptive Graeme telling redemptive stories stories

in a much malignedin a much malignedEagleby ParkEagleby Park

StorytellingStorytelling

StudentsStudents’’Lanterns of DreamsLanterns of Dreams The The StigmaStigma

•• obstacle to people getting out & obstacle to people getting out & aboutabout

•• negative perceptions & stories negative perceptions & stories influenced residentsinfluenced residents’’ perceptions perceptions about: kinds of people & behaviors about: kinds of people & behaviors they might encounter in public they might encounter in public placesplaces

•• Repeatedly restating stigma gave it Repeatedly restating stigma gave it new lifenew life

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The The StigmaStigmaThe cureThe cure: :

•• bring forth & celebrate new stories bring forth & celebrate new stories about Eaglebyabout Eagleby

•• good people & acts of goodwillgood people & acts of goodwill–– what was special about the what was special about the

landscapelandscape

•• Do it in an Do it in an embodiedembodied way way -- in the in the actual parksactual parks

Burning the Burning the StigmaStigma

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Community CelebrationCommunity Celebration

That night something changed. People used to That night something changed. People used to be ashamed and now they are proud to be be ashamed and now they are proud to be Eagleby residents. Eagleby residents.

Something lifted that night. There was a Something lifted that night. There was a change in the people. You could almost feel it, change in the people. You could almost feel it, especially in the young people. especially in the young people.

There was a cleansing where the residents There was a cleansing where the residents could discard the negative things they were could discard the negative things they were hanging onto. They put them in and watched hanging onto. They put them in and watched them burn. them burn.

Positive changes. It was an event where Positive changes. It was an event where people could stop and think.people could stop and think.

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Did anything Did anything ((practicalpractical))

come of this?come of this?

Debriefing & reflectionsDebriefing & reflections

Park design Park design workshops, 2001workshops, 2001

Student’s drawing for the 2000Stories in a Park Celebration becomes a local sign

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Improvements, 2001Improvements, 2001--20022002

•• new public new public spacesspaces

•• embellishments embellishments to old parksto old parks

•• river accessriver access

•• upgrading upgrading of public realm of public realm

•• signagesignage

Cec Clark Park, October 2007Cec Clark Park, October 2007

Ray Hackwood Park, 2002Ray Hackwood Park, 2002 The pontoon before & afterThe pontoon before & after

Before (August 1999)Before (August 1999)

After (August 2002)After (August 2002)

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Fishing, 2004Fishing, 2004

Access to the River, 2002Access to the River, 2002

River Pontoon, 2002River Pontoon, 2002 Community Jobs ProgramCommunity Jobs Program

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Eagleby WetlandsEagleby WetlandsA Brilliant New Tourism ResourceA Brilliant New Tourism Resource

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The Flying Eagle FacilitatorsThe Flying Eagle Facilitators

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The President of ERAG The President of ERAG receives a Community receives a Community Safety Award from the Safety Award from the Gold Coast City Council, Gold Coast City Council, 20022002

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Not just a disabled truck driverNot just a disabled truck driver……People have helped me to get retrained, People have helped me to get retrained, to be able to still function in a society to be able to still function in a society where people on disability pensions go where people on disability pensions go on a scrap heap and thaton a scrap heap and that’’s the end of s the end of them. them.

Yes, I can do 15 to 20 hoursYes, I can do 15 to 20 hours’’ work. No one work. No one will employ me because of my injuries; will employ me because of my injuries; they donthey don’’t want to take the riskt want to take the risk……. Here I . Here I can do things at my own pace. Ican do things at my own pace. I’’m still m still valued by the rest of the organisation, as valued by the rest of the organisation, as well as being a valued member of the well as being a valued member of the communitycommunity……..

Peter Muller, 18 October 2007Peter Muller, 18 October 2007

What do What do youyou make of this?make of this?

wendy@sarkissian.com.auwendy@sarkissian.com.au