I have just paid my final payment for this job into my account and that feels like closure on it really. The opening ceremony has fizzled to nothing, I believe there is still finance unspent to fund it.
I believe the opening ceremony to be one of the most important parts of a project like this. Celebrate something good, and have the chance to meet people who live 4 doors away but you don’t know them.
The ‘do you remember that’ – ‘did they’ – ‘have you heard’ – the back patting, the shared experience, – just everything you know, call it the journey if you like. This is what bonds communities together, having shared goals and reaching them. Making things better than they were, changing things, doing it together. Work for the wider group and not the individual, the opportunity to reinforce those things has now been missed. The park is no worse for not having a party, but it would have been worth while.
special mentions: Oxford City Council and Fusion for getting everything done as best they could.
And I hope the resident of Barton with the video camera does actually make his ‘3 Minute Wonder Barton Documentary video for channel 4.
Last; the ‘biggest knob head’ prize: Goes to the facetious guy who asked whether the primary school kids involvement would enable them to all become Landscape Architects and Sculptors when they grew up.
What he should have asked is: Will the children have a happier childhood, so when they grow up they make positive contributions to society. And is it OK if I write a song especially for the opening ceremony?
