The Peckham Coal Line urban park

[TheCoalLine]

Dear East Dulwich Forum - The Peckham Coal Line is now Crowdfunding through Spacehive. Take part and help this resident initiated project move one step closer to creating an urban linear park that would connect South London. An oasis of greenery soaring high across the rooftop-tops of Peckham on a disused rail siding. A route as useful as it is beautiful, unlocking dormant Victorian infrastructure to connect neighbourhoods and High Streets and people to work.

The project would turn the overgrown Peckham Coal Line into a high level, linear park and a much needed link between Queens Road Peckham and Rye Lane; a garden sanctuary above the urban jumble of decaying Victorian warehouses and frenetic colourful markets.

Back in December when a small group of residents proposed the idea, you, the east Dulwich forum community were instrumental in allowing the idea to take off. To turn this project into reality we need that public enthusiasm and energy, which has brought the project so far, turned into commitment.

More than a park ? a vital connection: The 900-meter link will be for walkers and cyclists and will bridge a gap in a wider network of greenways that would run largely traffic free from Brixton to Greenland Dock where a new bridge to Canary Wharf is proposed by Sustrans.

Amble in the trees, meet friends, read a book, wonder at the views, feel the history, pick some fruit, watch a play, grab a coffee, get to work, get away from work, work up a sweat, feel the seasons, support a local shop, learn to bike, see some art, go to a gig and connect with a community that is preserving nature and ensuring that the Coal Line becomes an asset for all.

Our shared journey so far: The project has captured the collective imagination. We have featured in local and national press and have the support of councillors and Network Rail. Our walks in May had well over 1000 people sign up and our supporters and volunteers come from across SE5, SE15, SE22?s diverse spectrum of residents; this is one of the projects un-doubtable strengths, drawing from the pool of talent, experience and energy the neighbourhood offers. However this is also a project for London with cultural and transport benefits felt across the capital.

crowdfunding site: http://www.spacehive.com/peckhamcoalline

[edcam]

I love the idea of this project and have been following it for a while. We were in New York a few weeks ago and went to The High Line for the first time, which is absolutely wonderful and one of the highlights of our trip. If we could have something like that here it would be a huge hit.

[Nigello]

Give it a pledge. A tenner or so won't be too much for most, if not, then a fiver. It'd be worth it if it were to happen.

[katanita]

What a great idea, I've already pledged.

BUT, then I watched the video, which makes me quite uncomfortable. It doesn't look like the very diverse Peckham I know, with very very few non-white faces. It sounds like you are working hard to make this a community project and I assume that means being as inclusive as possible, but this doesn't come across in the video. When I shared it with friends before I'd watched it, someone immediately pointed it out and used fairly strong terms to describe how they saw this, and when I watched it I was also struck by it and was very disappointed.

Would you consider addressing this with a new video?

[PoisonIvy]

Pledged. I'd love to see this become a reality.

[V511]

I second Katanita's post. That isn't any Peckham I recognise and is a poor reflection of the ethnic diversity in the community.

[Blah Blah]

Great project but let's be brutally honest about the film - white and middle-class. Peckham is cockney, african, west indian, asian, chinese, turkish, young, old and that's just for starters. Needs an approach that reflects that.

[Tigres Pride]

This sounds like a great project but probably like many others, this is the first I've heard of it.

I suspect that only those people who turn up to local arts & crafts shows, local exhibitions and street or park festivals, (which I don't) are even aware of it. This probably accounts for the fact that the people shown in the video are not an accurate representation of the diverse mix we have in Peckham but only the fraction of those that were aware of the event and available to be filmed.

The more publicity this project gets and the more people pass the word amongst their friends and contacts, then the more people from diverse backgrounds will turn out in support of it as it really will be a wonderful asset for Peckham, Queens Road and their residents.

Updated to say that I've just spotted and read the other post in this section on The Coal Line and I don't know how I missed it last November but I'm glad I've seen it now.

[Nigello]

Tigres Pride is a voice of reason.

My take is - as nearly always with these things - it is a class and not a race thing. Lots of this area's Caucasians are middle class; lots of this area's other races are working class and are much less likely to be involved in such undertakings, especially at their outset. I wish it weren't the case but it is (and I have no magic bullet).

[Blah Blah]

I'm inclined to agree Nigello but there are plenty of local groups that aren't predemoninently middle-class. Some of them are church and charity groups. Others are tenant and community groups. Even traders in Rye Lane have an action group. There are many ways to inform the whole community.

[edhistory]

What is the proposed gradient between Gordon Road and Consort Road?

[uncleglen]

Excuse me Blah Blah, but Cockneys are from NORTH of the river

[Blah Blah]

lol but plenty of them live south.

[TheCoalLine]

Katanita, Thanks, Its more that the video is not representative the project rather than the Coal Line not being representative of Peckham. We?re trying to do allot with very little and we did all the filming over one day of the Chelsea Fringe walks, which, as many of you identified, attracted a specific demographic.

We have visited all the traders at Queens Road and along Rye Lane, most love the project as they realise the opportunity it could give small business both in the short and long term. We regularly meet with Peckham Vision and the Tenants and Residents Association throughout Peckham and our working group is made up of residents from across Peckham?s wide spectrum.

We will be making other videos and are learning that meaningful engagement takes a long time. We?ll continue to meet, talk and connect to our neighbours. But weather you see the project as an opportunity or threat it is still a talking point, a chance to feel passionate about something local. This is the Coal Line?s greatest strength as it is helping build networks around a shared idea and in the long term these networks form the basis of a strong, resilient community, easily mobilised in the face of external threat.

[katanita]

Thanks for your response @TheCoalLine, very encouraged to hear all that. Still feel awkward sharing the project whilst the video is the way it is though, to be honest. I would make it a priority to shoot some interviews with those groups you mentioned and cut them into the video, it would really help strengthen your case and show that it is a genuine community project. And it will protect you from any further criticism. I'm sure you're stretched but if you still have all the assets and the edit sequence from before it shouldn't take too long. I'd offer to help but I'm about to go away.

Good luck with the project.

[Jeremy]

All you can ask is that the project tries in earnest to reach out to the whole community. After that - if people are interested (or not) it's up to them.

[Sue]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> All you can ask is that the project tries in

> earnest to reach out to the whole community. After

> that - if people are interested (or not) it's up

> to them.

That's true, but if initial perceptions are formed via a video which seems to reflect only part of the community, then those apparently excluded may well be turned off the project.

I understand how this came about, but I think katanita's idea of adding some bits to the video is a good one.

And I think the project is brilliant :)

[Otta]

I agree, great great idea, and I am sure the organisers genuinely wish to include everyone. But if from the onset it looks like this is a thing for white middle classes, other groups (including white not middle classes) will just think it's not for them, and quite possibly resent the whole thing, maybe even opposing it.

[peckham_ryu]

I like it. I really like it.

@TheCoalLine: If the park becomes a reality, how will it then be maintained? E.g. has Southwark Council agreed to take it on as a public park?

[Nigello]

"But if from the onset it looks like this is a thing for white middle classes, other groups (including white not middle classes) will just think it's not for them, and quite possibly resent the whole thing, maybe even opposing it."

I think you'd have to be pretty churlish to oppose a public facility just because someone of your skin-tone does not appear in the preliminary funding-gambit video. Then again, such is (some) people's fragility and solipsism these days that I would not be surprised.

[Jeremy]

What Nigello said. This isn't an expensive bar/restaurant/shop catering to the privileged. Everyone will be free to use it.

[Otta]

If you saw your whole area changing to the tastes of people from a different group to your own, you might become resentful.

But anyway, this thread shouldn't lean too far that way. I say again, it's a wonderful idea.

[Jeremy]

Otta Wrote:

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> If you saw your whole area changing to the tastes

> of people from a different group to your own, you

> might become resentful.

Depends what it is. Not if it's a path/park linking two stations together.

Of all the things which have changed/are changing in Peckham, this isn't one of the things I'd highlight as an example of social cleansing. Some perspective is needed.

[Otta]

Take your point that it's not a hipster ice cream shop we're talking about, but;

1. I have never said a thing about (and was not hinting at) "social cleansing". That's more of an Elephant & Castle issue.

2. You're not from the groups we're talking about, so it's not really for you to say what should and shouldn't make them resentful. If resentment has clouded your vision, then even nice things can look ugly. Just look at some of the negative comments about Picturehouse East Dulwich (which is a great addition to the area).

[BrandNewGuy]

Absolutely. This doesn't look like it's muscling in on anything already there or taking resources from elsewhere in the area. Of course, they should get as many people on board as possible once the ball starts rolling, but to complain at this point seems far too premature.

Good luck to them.