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Community Web Development
Projects in St Albans
Hazel Ashton
(www.stalbans.org.nz)
1.0 Introduction and description of the Community Web Development Project to date
1.1 Can't you get neighbours on this? Picture of Queen.
A not very happy looking Queen Elisabeth, is
photographed in front of the computer screen on which is the new
Buckingham Palace Web Site (Listener, 1998). The caption beside this photo
reads, "Can't you get Neighbours on this? Although referring to the
television programme "Neighbours", the picture could also be seen as
reflecting the fact that it is difficult to get real in touch with people
in the neighbourhood on the Web. The St Albans Web project is one where
the Web is being used as a tool whereby people can get to know people in
their neighbourhood.
1.2 Description of prototype project.
A prototype Web site was developed on August
2nd, 1999. Anna Allan, from Lynx, a local Internet Provider made it
possible. She provided free space and an enormous amount time helping to
develop and design the site, and more latterly uploading the material. I
got some St Albans people involved writing and editing material. And I
encouraged local people and groups and organisations to send in
information and photos about themselves which could be put on the Web
site. The aim of this prototype site was to reflect St Albans voices and
leave space for more people to feel they could come on board to improve
and develop the site further.
1.3 St Albans Voices
The following are some examples of the St
Albans voices currently being reflected on the prototype Web
site.
We have a section called, "Tall tales but
true". The former manager of the local BP station has submitted two
stories of tales about happenings at the BP station. He has more to come.
The BP station is situated near the middle of St Albans in the major
shopping area. It is a multinational company. Many from outside the area
drive into the BP station in order fill up their car with petrol and/or
get some food and drink from the BP store. One would not think of such as
station as having particular local relevance. Yet, it does have huge
relevance. It is located in the middle of the suburb. It covers a large
area and local people use it as they would a dairy. A few years ago when
the BP decided to expand its premises, the manager, who lived in St
Albans, did much to ensure St Albans voices were heard. As a result, most
agree it has the nicest landscape of all BP and possibly other petrol
stations in New Zealand. Hearing stories about what has happened at the BP
further takes the BP site from seeming to be an impersonal place with a
large concrete tarmac, glass building, cars coming and going, to one where
there are people and relationships. The following gives you a
taste:-
Tall tales (but
true!!!) from BP Edgeware's legendary past.........
While sitting at my
desk one bright winter morning, I happened to look up to see a yellow mini
racing towards my office window at full tilt. With quick reaction I leapt
out of my chair and out the office door, as a young nurse on her way home
from night shift plowed through my office window taking all before her,
including an ice freezer, my desk, chair, heater, and window frame, along
with a shower of exploding glass. She came in to the office and stopped at
my office desk.
We pulled her out
the front of her car. The car was a write-off. The only damage to her was
her pride.
It seems her pedal
got stuck. She panicked and forgot about the brake. We just thought she
had come to complain about the service and didn't want to make an
appointment!!!!
------------------------
Or what about those
bungling armed robbers. They planned the robbery two weeks before, by
visiting the service station, but..........we had changed the showroom
layout around before they returned one evening to rob us.
They had beaten up
the person who had checked the site out because he didn't want to go
through with it. His girl friend rang an ambulance who arrived at his home
to take him to hospital. He told them about the robbery plans. The
ambulance people rang the police who came around and
waited.....
In the meantime
the other two ran into the service station in the door turned right and
came to a halt.....the counter wasn't there!!!!.
The night guy
called out from the other end of the showroom can I help you? The startled
robbers turn around to see the counter at the other end of the showroom.
Overcome with shock they ran to the counter and forced the staff member to
open the till to 4 packets of cigarettes and $78.50 (all the notes and
most of the change)
They took off with
their loot and went straight round to their friends house they had beaten
up only to walk straight in to the arms of the waiting police. There was
no struggle.
One got seven years
in prison the other got nine years (because he beat up his friend as
well)
End
As with many localities in the Western world,
there are population flows with people moving in and out of the area.
Significantly, most streets have at least one "for sale" notice. Over the
last thirty or so years, St Albans has also been known as a suburb with
lots of cheap rented accommodation. The question is often asked, how can
one create a sense of community when there is such a transient population?
One possibility is to build an appreciation of St Albans history through
stories, songs and photos that all can learn about, no matter how long
they lived or plan to live in the area. In this way, people who have just
moved to St Albans can pick up on the shared history and those who leave
can have a special place in their heart for St Albans. We are hoping to
have a St Albans alumni section, particularly one for people wanting to
share their experience of flatting days in St Albans. The following is a
St Albans song written by Phil Garland to commemorate the 150th
anniversary of the settlers coming to St Albans. It was sung for the first
time at the St Albans primary school. The children were asked what they
thought was a rag and bone man and a night cart? They gave some
interesting responses!
Age of Grace
When the early
settlers landed on Port Cooper's shores,
And struggled up the bridle
Path to see what lay in store.
They looked down on tussock grassland
where flax and cabbage tree,
Would give way to build St Albans on the
plains of Canterbury.
Chorus:-
It
seems an age of grace has quietly passed us by,
Memories fade - time
marches on, leaving the past behind.
The Rag and Bone and Bottle'O once
called at every door,
Like the Milko and his dandy, they've gone
forever more.
Soon market garden
blossomed and flourished all around,
St Albans farm then occupied the
best remaining ground,
A few gardens are still thriving at the end of
Cranford Street,
Where travellers could ride the tram to save their
weary feet.
Who'll forget old
ice-cream Charlie, it seems just yesterday....
When he walked city
streets trying to earn a living wage.
The children always followed as
he pushed his cart along,
Called him names and teased him with rhyming
verse and song.
The lighters lit
the gas lamps as darkness dimmed the sky.
And hoofbeats broke the
silence when hansom cabs passed by.
Night-owls kept a lookout perched
high up in the trees,
As the Night-Cart made It's round while St Albans
lay asleep.
(the city lay fast asleep)
The 'Rising Sun'
hotel gained notoriety and fame,
For serving liquor after-hours, It
became a house of shame,
Renamed the Caledonian, it soon changed to
Cobb & Co.
A restaurant where visitors and families love to
go.
The character that
helped define old Christchurch town,
Stands out in latticed gables and
dormers that abound -
On many cottages and houses we pass by every
day,
The last visible reminder of a golden bygone age.
Words and Music by
Phil Garland 12 February 2000.
Where good-time
girls would gather to ply their nightly trade,
Inviting men to sample
the many pleasures of the game.
From its inception as a suburb in the 1850s to
the present day, political issues continue to play a major role the life
of St Albans. Interestingly, the main focus has tended to be on roading
issues. Initially it was trying to get resources for making roads through
the St Albans swamp so people did not keep getting stuck. More recently it
was on some St Albans people arguing against resources being spent on
putting a motorway through the suburb. And latterly, it has been to do
with planning and zoning decisions which have been made by outside
organisations and institutions without understanding the impact they will
have on the suburb. This section has Community Board agendas so people can
see what is going to be decided before decisions are made and so have
input before it is too late. People can also have access to material on
issues which people are involved in. It forms part of a very valuable
institutional memory.
People often feel powerless when it comes to
major global issues, such as global warming, but they do sometimes feel
they can influence things at a local level. The aim of this section is to
encourage local people to notice and appreciate the local environment
before it is too late. For instance, we have a section on a Kauri tree.
People were concerned it would be cut down to make way for a new housing
development. Many, including me, did not even know there was a Kauri tree
in St Albans. Now we know, it is easier for us to look out for it and
protect it. Another example is of a stand of poplar trees. A local person
pointed out that they were the only trees birds had to use as a lookout in
the area. Again, most of us would not have even noticed that most large
trees have been removed. Now we know, we have managed to have them
protected, at least until other trees begin to grow in the area. Also on
the agenda are things like the views of the Port Hills. Again, something
most of us take for granted until we cannot see them.
A 12 year old St Albans boy, Tom has put up a
link to his youth-on-line web site. He plans to develop it further so that
St Albans young people can communicate better with each other. He is
looking to get sponsorship for local competitions.
To date the community owned park, and choir
have a Web page. This has information, photos and a contact e-mail
address. Other groups such as church, bowling and tennis are in the
process of getting together information they want on the site. The local
schools also have links.
1.4 Current Involvement
In March 2000, around twenty local people met
to look at ways to develop the Web site further. The group are diverse in
terms of age, (the youngest being 12 years old), income, occupation,
ethnicity, and education.
1.5 Ideas
They came up with some of the following ideas:-
It is planned to have a new story and photo
every day. Reporters will be local people, children, people from different
cultures, the elderly, and those in between. All will have the opportunity
to tell their story. We are currently looking at getting funding for a
community digital camera.
People will be able to click on a date in the
calendar and find out what is happening in St Albans at that particular
time and if that event is open to the public. We would like to see more
events (such as school events) publicised so that more relations are
developed in the community.
The idea is that local businesses can advertise
what is cheap in St Albans on each particular day or week. In this way,
local people can be encouraged to shop locally and people from outside the
area can be encouraged to come and support St Albans business. In this
way, business will be more likely to support the Web
project.
Work is currently underway to get a very easy
to use on-line discussion forum so that anyone who is literate can
participate. We want to set it up so that the way people interact is the
way they would in a family living room.
There is interest in St Albans in forming
relations with people from other countries. People used to write to what
were called pen pals. If people correspond on line they are apparently
called key pals.
We appear to have lots of gifted artists and
musicians in St Albans and plan to have an on-line art gallery for St
Albans artists.
We would like local people with a service and
product which could be marketed on the Internet to have support to get
into e-commerce. Phil Garland, a local singer has been given some support.
His address is www.philgarland.co.nz
2. Motivation
2.1 Strengthen and condense neighbourhood
networks
The aim is to get to know each other and our
environment better. There is a saying, popularised by Hilary Clinton that
"it takes a village to raise a child". However people in St Albans who
want to help often say they do not want it to be misconstrued as
interference, or worse. In our society, many are scared to ask for help
and to offer help! We would like the opportunity to get to know about each
other in a way that feels comfortable to all concerned.
2.2 Village atmosphere - no place to meet - car
park
When I was on the Community Board I did try to
get a place for a village square where people could meet and interact in a
central location. However, the local government rules decreed that each
shop needed so many car parks and local business people wanted to ensure
there was enough parking. So instead, St Albans has a wonderful car park
in the heart of the suburb. We succeeded in getting a community resource
centre and that has been great. However, due to the need for the centre to
be self funding, outsiders book it up and local people often find they
cannot use it.
2.3 Ability to mobilise
Sometimes it is essential to mobilise to
address an outside threat. The ability to access correct information and
communicate on the basis of this, is essential if people are to be able to
come together to address particular issues which impact on the
neighbourhood.
3. History of the project
3.1 John Wardle
Many of the ideas for this project came from
John Wardle. I interviewed him about a year before he died, and the
following are some of his thoughts. He began by pointing out that people
often don't communicate because of fear. And it is the fear, which must be
addressed in order to break down the blocks to communication. He
said,
There's a line between being responsible for
other people and not being nosy, or not sticking your nose in where it's
not welcome. People's fears keep them away, far away. It doesn't have to
be like that. I remember a young Polynesian guy that wanted to help us. He
saw I had a disability and offered to mow the lawns. My natural suspicion
was there. I didn't feel very good about it. The guy just wanted to
help.
I was house-bound to a large degree, not
especially, but more than others. My reason was a wheelchair but a lot of
people are house-bound and the reason is not a wheelchair, its attitude.
The reason is they've not got anything to go out to in their community
for. They have a lot, well I guess it is fear."
He believed it was possible to change people's
attitudes. He did not think moralising or legislation or coercion could do
this. He said,
I have a strong belief that communication as
a tool in community is badly neglected. It can achieve a lot more for a
lot more people in a shorter time. Before you can start with anything you
need to turn peoples' attitudes around. People need to see things over a
period of time. When they're ready they'll change and become more
involved...And if we can give them thoughts and ideas and show them
through communication where they can go. The first step is to reach the
people to actually get them to participate and hopefully one day they will
pick up the phone or go and join.
With respect to using communication
technologies such as the modem, he recognised that there was a lot of
resistance. He said many have argued that modems with connections to the
Internet actually isolate people in their households. His comment was,
I have had this argument and discussion many
times that modems are going to make people stay in their houses, but the
problem started long before computers.... The modem will only really get
people talking to each other. Everyone got really excited about the real
benefit of talking over thousands of miles, but that isn't the real
benefit. The real benefit is talking over the yard by people who are
isolated in their own homes.
John pointed out how technology could be
used to build community saying that there needed to be some way which
people could communicate. He said,
There's always skills or friendship to swap
in some way. There's lonely people and there's people who like to
communicate... everyone has something to offer. It's just a matter of
finding it. And society doesn't have to balance. We don't always have to
get back what you get out because you receive it back with your own
attitude to yourself, your own karma . We don't have to get it back. Once
you start measuring it that genuine community starts to go down. Community
doesn't always work for doing favours for each other because everybody at
some stage feels that they've done more than the other, or they feel
they've had too much done for them, so they pull back. Because they've had
too much done for them they feel the poor cousin. So you have a situation
where people can measure what they're doing - on basis of trust not on the
basis of policing.
John was a haemophiliac and had been treated
with blood products infected with the aids virus. He knew that he would
die soon and wanted his wife and child to be safe after he had gone. He
said, I want my wife and child to feel safe in the streets. I want them to
see friendly faces. He thought that this process needed to be started
locally. He said,
I used to be part of large organisations
that were part of international organisations but after a while you get
sick of not seeing anything positive happen. Sometimes you feel you're
just throwing your time away. Sure the world problems are great but
sometimes you want to be part of something where you can see an immediate
result, to see your efforts having an effect. I strongly believe that if
everyone had a little less involvement in the international problems and
got back to their own neighbourhoods and cities then the international
problems would probably go away. A lot of it is because of the attitudes
within the individual, the thoughts and perceptions that people grow up
with. The distrust that starts in a neighbourhood reflects right across
the world as it influences the whole attitude of countries and the
attitudes they are brought up with. So if we can change our community into
friendly places then the world becomes a friendlier
place.
My final question was about utopian ideals
to what extent were we motivating people with a vision that wasn't very
real, and did this matter? He responded,
Utopian ideals are very useful for
motivating people. You've got to have an ideal of what it could be to make
it perfect even if you don't think it ever could be and in some ways you
don't want it ever to be that way. I think that most people in community
groups are addressing that particular problem. We tend to think of
community as the end product, but the end product is so ill defined. It's
so hard to work out what it is. And we don't really think its possible, so
we don't give it much thought. I don't anyway. In regard to urban
communities we often talk about the village aspect of trying to re-create
the country village in the city with people knowing each and taking some
responsibility, which is probably the idea we're heading for. But it's a
flawed idea anyway, because if you go out to any small community there are
lots of sour grapes and gossip and negativity but that's okay. It's a dam
sight better than it is in the cities anyway. That would do, but its not
utopia. My parents tried to find that utopia by moving from Christchurch
to the West Coast and they were very disappointed. It's great for
theorising.
John Wardle was a driving force behind the
philosophy and production of the St Albans Neighbourhood News (STANN) the
community paper and NeighbourNet, a project that aimed to use technology
to build community. The St Albans Web project in turn draws from these
projects.
3.2 STANN
STANN, the St Albans Neighbourhood Newsletter,
goes out once a month to around 5,000 households. To quote from their
blurb, "STANN is a community effort involving local individuals working
with Community Press printers and PC Publishing Services, two private
businesses whose owners live an work in this area". It goes on to say, "
We decided to use our resources to get people talking, on paper at least.
Although STANN is a Not for profit initiative, we all hope to profit by
making our area a friendlier and more together place for our kids and
ourselves to live in. We are non-political; the only barrow we are pushing
is one of better community through better communication.
3.3 Community business/ InfoLink/
NeighbourNet
The St Albans NeighbourNet Community Trust was
set up in the belief that "knowledge, shared, is essential to community".
They use communication tools such as the computer and modem to facilitate
this. The following is a preamble from the NeighbourNet
constitution.
- to communicate and share knowledge is a basic need and responsibility of all people.
- sharing information is conducive to good community.
- knowledge freely gathered and offered with honest and open purpose results in the well-being of all people.
- that there is an increasing gap between
those who have access to information and knowledge in society and those
who do not have such access.
- that as more and more information comes to
be stored on computers, it becomes less accessible to those who lack the
means to access it.
- that information is destructive when
presented in a incomplete or dishonest way.
- that more than ever, in a complex and
fast-changing information age, some more privileged persons can gain
much wider access to information than others. These privileged persons
can then withhold and manipulate information for their own advantage, to
the detriment of others. In this situation, all people need to have
access to information technology, to the skills to use it adequately,
and to other related support as required to enable them to uphold their
interests and to ensure the proper functioning of democracy
itself.
The St Albans NeighbourNet Community Trust say
it is important that people have access to communication technologies so
that they can participate in the free flow of information, giving them
also increasingly essential tools with which to understand one another and
help solve social problems.
Communication can eliminate isolation and
distrust. Modern communications technologies can be used to help people
understand the feelings and needs of others, and to enjoy the diversity
and richness of all peoples whoever they are, whatever their culture,
religion, ethnic origin, gender or age. These technologies can enable
people to understand and empathise with their fellow human beings. They
can thus help ensure the well-being of all in society.
John Wardle was a driving force behind the
philosophy and production of the St Albans Neighbourhood News (STANN) the
community paper and NeighbourNet, a project that aimed to use technology
to build community. The St Albans Web project in turn draws from these
projects.
4. Difficulties to Overcome
4.1 Maori voice needed from beginning
There has been no direct Maori involvement in
setting up the St Albans Web site.
4.2 Volunteers
Volunteers tend to bring with them a passion
and energy which one could not pay for. However, many in the group are
busy people who have outside paid employment. Finding times to suit people
can be difficult. With respect to technical issues, sometimes it would be
good to have the money to pay for it to be done.
4.3 Cost eg telephone line - Telecom
Telecom charge commercial rates for the use of
the telephone line at the resource centre, even though the project is
not-for-profit. This is a huge expense.
4.4 Lack of Community Board support -
disappointing.
The Community Board are the decision makers
closest to the residents. Funding was requested. However, I withdrew the
request when I realised that both political representatives and staff did
not support this project.
4.5 Group dynamics
All the literature on group dynamics indicates
that groups go through forming, norming, storming and then possibly
reforming stages. There is a lot of encouragement for groups to form, but
not much support to ensure the storming stage is pain free and
productive!
5. Positive Outcomes to date
5.1 You live next door ...!!!
There is a cartoon of a person at his computer
looking with surprise through his window to a neighbour who is sitting
beside her computer. The caption reads, "you live next door…!!!"
The cartoon is believable because not many know
many people in their neighbourhood. I interviewed a ninety year old man in
our street and he said to me, "I used to know everyone in our street and
now I only know two people." The two concerned were other elderly people
who had lived in the street for many years. In spite of very good
intentions, many of us do not get an opportunity to get to know people in
our neighbourhood. Over twenty people came to the first meeting of the Web
project. I had only met four of them before, yet all lived within an easy
walking distance of my home.
5.2 Energy ideas local nature philosophy
understood.
Within a short time people in the Web project
team were asking for clearly spelt out aims and objectives with a
philosophy we all understood, so that if others wanted to come in they
could not sabotage with other ideas. Interestingly, using tool to build
community. It was ideas of community which were driving it, not the
technology.
5.5 Neighbours - you mean old-fashioned concept
using new technology.
I told my neighbour about the Web project. Her
family does not have a computer. However, she could immediately see a
benefit for herself, the family and the neighbourhood. As I was about to
leave she said, you mean to use an old fashioned concept of the village,
using the new technology don't you? That's a great idea!
6.0 Special thanks to:-
The St Albans Residents Association (SARA) for
supporting this project and making it possible for me to go to the
conference
- Work and Income (WINS), whose 'return to
work' allowance, covered travel and accommodation expenses
- The Christchurch City Council (CCC) for
setting up the Adult Community Employment (ACE) scheme, which enabled me
to be paid to set up this project
- Anna Allan of Lynx Internet for providing
free space on the server and many hours of time to get prototype Web
site up and running, and for continuing to give support
- John Wardle whose philosophy and ideas live
on in this project. John sadly died in 1997.
- Douceline Wardle (John's wife) who enabled
John's ideas to be carried out while he was still alive and who has
since offered enormous support.
- Kate Taylor, for continuing with the
community philosophy and for producing the St Albans Neighbourhood News
(STANN) on a voluntary basis
- Frank Prebble, for providing the printing
press to print STANN, for his interest in people and history, and for
not frightened to take on a challenge
- Tom Prebble who designed the youth page and
who is imbued with community philosophy, which is great to see.
- John Gallagher, for proving a link from the
early days, philosophy, university and background support.
- Tony Guilliland, chair of SARA who supported
this through the bureaucratic process.
- Last, but not least, the web project team
for their energy, talent and ideas, without which, this "community" Web
project could never happen.
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