How important is park and public space to you as a teenage resident of a (fairly) large city? Does Bratislava lack places like this? Is it worth government money to invest in structures like this in poor neighborhoods? Can it really help to lower crime rates and prevent other problems?
Every idea which builds up a prosperity of community is a great one. Those, which are not realizable are still worth considering, as just a slight change may turn them into performable. These are all worth millions, because their actual value is not just the price they cost to realize, but moreover the value they have for the locals. Likewise, the bigger the change they bring, the more precious they are. This particular idea meant a great deal to the locals, and is a symbol of a new period.
ReplyDeleteIt is a sad fact that equatorial nations in America are widely known for being the biggest drug (unfortunately the “bad” drugs) factories in the world. The cartels there, are oftentimes more influential than the government, and more powerful than the army. People there live in a constant fear, and each day is a struggle for life. According to the statistics, in 1991 there were 6349 murders in Medellín, and the epicenter of all the violence was San Javier, now a place of a new library park. Thanks to the interaction of the state, the situation has been since 2002 a past. The Operation Orion, a military interference, weakened the city’s gangs, paramilitary units and drug cartels. The key factor of the new beginning was Sergio Fajardi, who in 2004 assumed office in Medellín. He recognized what needed to be done and acted quick. Firstly, he gained the support from the locals, which was no easy task as mistrust of the government was not fully solved by the Operation Orion. Secondly, he put together residents with the architects, academics and developers to bring to life his idea of the library parks. It was a great success. According to the article, 1500 locals ascend the paths and enter the building each day. There are almost no barriers and laugh is heard from every rooms.
Upon reading this article a bit of faith entered my prophecies. I have never though that such a project could be realized, somewhere with an overproduction of demerit goods and a rule of mafia. I was twice that happy to read about the successfulness of the library parks. A place to meet friends, a place to educate oneself and a place to realize one’s potential that is what I call a masterpiece. It would be great to have a few here in Slovakia, but I am unsure of what would happen with them. Someone could say that if they are being kept clean and intact in the city, where a murder was a casual thing, everywhere else should be alright. I think, however, that maybe it was the misfortune which the locals had had to undergo which was essential in the attainment. In the conclusion, I think it was a terrific accomplishment and I would be more than satisfied to see it being discussed about here, in my homeland.
To be completely honest, I understand why such places are not common here in Slovakia. The main reason and argument of our mayor if confronted with such a request as the building of safe houses would probably be the usual “not enough money”, followed by a variety of arguments along the lines of “it is not needed” and “our education is already impeccable”. Frankly, I would probably agree with those decisions and say something similar.
DeleteBratislava is city that is highly developed and has nominal amounts of crime that would threaten the ordinary person in comparison to center-south America and the mentioned drug crime that are present there. Substitutes for those interested in them are present in Bratislava and across the European Union but come in different forms. In Columbia or poor parts of Mexico I somehow doubt that children have an option to go to art classes or take dance lessons after they have come home from whatever their educational institution may be. Please do not falsely take it that I disagree with you, because I don’t – without doubt the project in Madellin was immensely successful and beneficial, I’m just saying that it wouldn’t be much use here, in Slovakia.