The Magic Turtle on Haarklous Place
A ”forgotten park” becomes a vibrant gathering place, to the delight of residents big and small. A participatory art project brings feelings of ownership to the park. With soil beds to cultivate, turtle runs, beach volley ball courts, stationary trampolines and not least, the Turtle — a sculpture as ”high as a mountain” according to the kids — all creating a space for urban open air life, green pleasures and a social meeting place.
(Photo: Katarina Vrebalovich)
Description of the initiative — the background
Establishing a green gathering place for everyone was one of several important initiatives taken by the Sagene District in connection to work with local community based commitment. The goal was for district managed, under-utilized, open areas to be converted to active use. The Sagene district has Norway’s most concentrated population, which means that parks and open areas acquire even greater meaning. In 2012 and during the years that followed, one of the district’s least utilized and developed spaces, Haarklous Place, the “forgotten park,” garnered special attention. The purpose of the work that was initiated was to develop the space into a vibrant gathering place for all the area’s residents, and to make it a hub for new activities. The area around Haarklous Place, Søndre Åsen, is a mixture of low income housing and more pricey old Torshov apartments. By using parallel strategies of local environmental development and social housing work, one hoped to counter the health and social consequences of poverty. Most of the dwellings in the low income housing were one or two room apartments with a few larger apartments for families. The number of families with children was high. The district board asked the administration to lay out possibilities and develop a plan.
“We had many cross-departmental meetings, where we exchanged information: what did we already know about their needs, challenges and possibilities; where did we require more information? A work group consisting of three people was established to develop a proposal for the politicians”, professional advisor Susan Guerra (SG) explains. Many of the people who lived in the low income housing lived on minimum wage, either because they were unemployed, because of sickness or other life challenges. “We saw that Haarklous Place was an excellent place to begin; here was a real need. We had good experience from working with the Sagene Community Center and cooperating with low income housing there, as well as experience with other park projects. We had strategies and know-how from previous participatory art projects and this knowledge could be used and passed on. But most of all we had the will to make a real effort.
We initiated our study in 2012 and in September 2013 the District Council made their decision. We expended significant time working across departments to gather information. Using our own resources and funding, we carried out a location analysis. And working together with the North Pole School, neighbors, voluntary organizations and various service agencies a number of ”idea developing dialogues” and action days were arranged. This was done to establish the needs and visions for the area and to identify the variety of resources available. During the District Days at Haarklous Place, the plans were presented and new visions for the area’s future were introduced.
At this point in time, while participating in workshops with DRIFT (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions), SG became aware of Transition Management (TM). TM is a comprehensive and long term approach that encompasses both historical and future oriented strategies. It holds significant relevance for neighborhood based development work. Because of this, TM was introduced as a management model for the work to be done in Søndre Åsen. Already during the planning phase, SG tell us, TM provided a good structural framework. It took some time to convince everyone that this would be a sound approach for the work, but eventually it was decided to proceed in this way. An activity plan was developed, with agreed upon initiative areas that were politically decided. This was a joint plan. The various contributing/initiating groups were all part of this plan. “We set up a bi-yearly meeting to see how things were progressing, as well as to re-evaluate the activities plan. Our work is flexible and we can put in more effort wherever it is needed”, says SG. Everyone working in the area is called into these meetings — from both public service and voluntary sectors.
One of the many initiatives that were embarked upon was the physical rehabilitation of the park. Early on, it was agreed to build a sculpture that could function as a place to sit, a climbing structure and an informal gathering place. Inspired by the mural art in Sagene’s Community Center and the Snake at Arne Gjesti’s Place, it was decided to have a large Turtle, a symbol of Mother Earth connected to themes like caring and the environment. Under the leadership of artist Katarina Vrebalovich, district employees and volunteers, a mosaic workshop was initiated at the North Pole School three afternoons a week, starting during winter vacation in February and extending into March. Both children and adults partook in these workshops. The Turtle began to take shape over the summer and in October of the same year both this local environmental sculpture and the “turtle run” were unveiled and inaugurated.
The turtle run is a walking path that circumvents the whole area, designed for walkers moving at a slow pace. It encourages one to stroll through the area and has small experiential sites along route with landscaped plants and information about the nature as well as cultural markers.
Experience that others can learn from
“Our experience is that things take time and it costs more money than originally budgeted”, Park and local environment consultant Mads B. Nakkerud tells us. The district sought and received external ”supplemental funding” from, among other sources, Savings Bank Foundation DNB (Sparebankstiftelsen DNB). It took somewhat longer than initially planned to build the Turtle as well. There were also a number of unforeseen, spontaneous ripple effects that added value to the project. For example, it was necessary to remove a lot of earth to make room for the Turtle. This was high quality soil. A portion of the soil was driven to the Geitmyra School Garden and Bjølsen Park. But then came an idea from freelance district gardener, Svein Elias Gautefall, who suggested we establish cultivation plots (see narration: From Grass Root to Green Entrepreneur). This was a massive success. Several residents who had been following the digging work from their kitchen windows came out to help with planting, watering and weeding. Among others, a Palestinian woman, who suggested that a specific herb from the Palestinian kitchen be planted.
Developing an urban space is very demanding; one needs to be out in the field and have a number of contributory strategies. In addition to various public meetings, the mosaic workshops etc., a variety of one to one coffee/tea get-togethers were arranged, as well as meetings with landscape architects etc.. It has to be done thoroughly.
Even more importantly, experience shows that someone needs to have an overview. “We are on more solid ground now because we know what we want and we have strategies and ways of working to get there”, SG tells us. In 2016, SG received a new post which gave her extra possibility to achieve this. Because of her new position she has the ability to ”see the bigger picture.” She has contact with and is the leader for the development team; she has contact with the initiatives group, and she works with the leadership, calling meetings.
To continue with what we have learned:
· It is necessary to have rules for the development team about how the work should proceed
· Work with methods and strategies and document it in such a way that one can learn from it.
· There has to be someone who takes responsibility for how it all ”hangs together.”
· During the course of working with this project we have had three different district managers, who have been in and out. These people need to be informed and engaged
· The work has to be validated, both inside the various organizations and all the way up to the leadership
· As long as the initiative meetings give feedback to each work place and participant, everything functions well.
· Good preparation is essential for the initiative meetings. Three hours are set aside for each bi-annual meeting and these hours need to be used wisely. What is gained by this approach is, participants experience pleasure in common plans of action, and not least, they get to see the results of these joint initiatives.
Future visions — from next year through 2030
“Before summer vacation the work will be evaluated”, SG tells us. We will present our conclusions to the district leadership group, both in connection to neighborhood outreach as a method and how we might continue working with this in the district.
As far as the future is concerned and visions forward to 2030, SG sees great opportunities for self-driven activities without operations being dependent on the district. She imagines a meeting locale has been opened right across from Haarklous Place, which serves as a multi-purpose community center (this center has now been established, autumn 2017). Two large tents are available for park festivals. There are story hours, FAU (Parent Work Committee) arranged workshops etc. The infrastructure is in place so that residents can accomplish things themselves. There are several small gardens where edible plants are cultivated. More than anything else there is a vibrant, living public space.
One of the visions has already come through. 15th of January 2018 the Multi-purpose Community Center was officially opened. See the film from this event.
(From 1st of November 2018 Guerra retired from her job in Sagene and is now an active retiree working from her sole proprietorship “SMGuerra Culture and Sustainability Services”. New in the job as community developer is Hodan Ahmed.)
Questions
Check your district/neighborhood: are they working to develop park and green areas as community gathering places?
Are there cooperate efforts between local residents and the public service sector?
Are there good local examples that you/they might expand upon?
Contacts
Susan M. Guerra, writer and facilitator, SM Guerra Culture and Sustainability Services
Email: donasusana2012@gmail.com
Hodan Ahmed, Community Developer, Department of Public Health, Culture and Child Welfare
Email: hodan.ahmed@bsa.oslo.kommune.no
Mads B. Nakkerud, Park and local environment consultant, Department of Public Health, Culture and Child Welfare
