Do you love them or hate them?
I’ve been watching the debate unfold on Clover Moore’s new cycleways and it’s got me very excited.
On the one side we’ve got business and residents spitting chips over the new bike paths, accusing them of being poorly designed, dangerous and destroying their businesses. A law suit is in the wings to recover lost earnings. One the other, residents argue that Sydney is finally undertaking the change necessary to create a viable alternative transport option that will reduce pollution and make our City more liveable. Both sides are equally passionate. The anti-bike path people want the cycleways gone or at the very least, radically redesigned. Those in favour of the cycleways are adamant that Sydney needs to “get on its bike” and ride into the future.
To top it all off, on the 3rd of August, the anti-bike paths brigade are being encouraged to rock up to the Barangaroo rally at Town Hall, a community protest on an entirely different subject matter. All of which has prompted the pro-bike path movement to do the same! And others to ask, “What if I am pro-Barangaroo but anti-bike paths, can I come?” It’s all got a bit confusing, so why am I so excited?
Let me declare here that I’m not entirely objective in all of this. I run a site called Streetcorner, it’s a site that invites all locals to join in the news making process and write stories on the issues that matter to them. We facilitate local conversations with the aim of creating more connected and democratic communities. And as you can probably tell, there has been a lot of discussion on Streetcorner about the rights and wrongs of cycleways (among other things).
Without declaring which side of the argument my personal views sit – the furore gives me hope. Those with opposing views have in the main been tolerant of each other. They might employ sarcasm, irony and a deal of humour to make their points and to cast the other in poor light but there has been scant put downs and no abuse. The case has been put clearly by both sides, with logical argument and reason backing up their cause. And the sides are not giving up. They appear to be set for the long haul. Not letting newspaper cycles where old news is dead news dictate the agenda for them. Old media, new media and good old fashioned town hall meetings are all being employed. And all of those involved agree that this, will change the fabric of inner Sydney. Democracy, seems to still have people in it, chomping on the bit to have their say, and to hold their leaders to account. And this is, I think, very good news for all of us.
And what of the politicians. Well, it’s fair to say they haven’t been as exciting. They have mostly kept to their tried and true ways of communicating and not gone to where the community is. There are now ‘virtual town squares’ but people like Clover Moore have not been walking into them. Maybe it’s still seen as risky, the new world order where you can’t see the people you are debating with. But I find people are surprising authentic on-line despite the hype about anonymity encouraging our worst attributes.
But the spoils are there for the politicians who do engage. Waverley Council’s Mayor Sally Betts is one who takes the risk and answers people concerns on-line and over at Liverpool Council, Independant Peter Harle and Labor’s Jim McGoldrick regularly explaining the reasoning behind their decisions in open forums. Randwick Greens are also happy to engage directly with the community and reap the rewards of direct feedback. All of them are respected by their communities for it, even those who don’t agree with their politics. It does take courage to step out into new spaces and there is always risk but as the public’s already found, democracy is not about everyone agreeing, it’s about robust, tough, passionate and heated debate, where everyone’s voice is heard and we can all have a role in shaping what our cities and country becomes.
So yes, I’m excited, I’m excited about democracy and about our role in it. Is that very nerdy of me? Sorry, I didn’t write about my favourite crème brulee recipe (but I love food and cooking too!)
To check out some of the cycleway stories go to www.streetcorner.com.au and you can also publish your own stories on this or any other local issue that you are passionate about.
Or here are some direct links to articles;
Dangerous cycling on Sydney bike networks say residents (by local resident)
http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=15157&mycomm=ES
Clover pushes health benefits of cycling as criticism mounts over cycleways
http://www.streetcorner.com.au/news/showPost.cfm?bid=14989&mycomm=SC
Tags: bike paths, bikes, cafes, Cycleways, cycling, democracy, locals, Streetcorner
