From: Danielle Nicholson
Sent: Tuesday, 1 April 2014 1:59 p.m.
To: Mark Bunting
Hmmmm so much money, so many possibilities! I think I'd start with the heart of the city ... Garden Place ... I'd turn it into - gasp! - a garden. Shady trees, beautiful plantings, flowers, fruit trees, vege gardens in raised beds that people could help themselves to ... a veritable oasis in the middle of the city.
There'd be a really cool playground that kids would love and it would be surrounded by (comfortable!) outdoor furniture and market umbrellas for parents and adults to hang out under on around the perimeter.
There'd be pop up coffee carts and juice bars and people selling food from all sorts of ethnic origins. Buskers - think music and prose - would be welcomed with open arms. Artists would be encouraged to set up easels.
People would be encouraged to take ownership of it, make it their own space. Play petanque on the lawn or a game of croquet.
It would be idyllic and green and vibrant!
People would want to spend their lunch breaks there and they'd want to take their children at the weekends ... would you go somewhere like that if it existed?
From: Mark Bunting
Sent: Tuesday, 1 April 2:12 p.m.
To: Danielle Nicholson
You BET I would. What do you reckon about a community garden there? Let the community grow it, mind it and eat it.
We're the most fertile place in the country and we need good food more than ever. They're popping up all over the place! And as a masterstroke I'd hand the project to Peter Sergel and the friends of the Hamilton Gardens and let them loose!
So many great ideas. Pity we're just the media, huh?
From: Danielle Nicholson
Sent: Tuesday, 1 April 2014 2:18 p.m.
To: Mark Bunting
Pfffft ... 'just' the media ;) I LOVE the idea of a community garden. I think if people felt they had ownership of it that they wouldn't pillage it, they'd just help themselves to what they could use a bit of at home ... some fragrant herbs, freshly picked greens, for example.
Who better to lead the way than Peter Sergel - that man is a genius. And with the backing of the friends of the Hamilton Gardens, it'd be a winner.
Blue skies thinking ... what say we champion this? ... I know we're 'just' the media but hey ... with the backing of Hamilton News readers and your loyal band of listeners, this could really happen! ...
From: Mark Bunting
Sent: Tuesday, 1 April 2:21 p.m.
To: Danielle Nicholson
There are a lot of these all over the world already.
I think it's a great idea, but not sure what the public would say about yet ANOTHER change - shall we put it to them?
Yours in Broccoli
Bunty