EC1 after lockdown

What can we learn from lockdown?

Update: as the lockdown continues, and our neighbourhoods continue to change, we've decided to delay launch of the map until later in the year. Latest here.

In June 2020 the EC1 Echo is launching an interactive map to explore what people have valued in their neighbourhood during the emergency, what they haven't liked, and what might be improved. The map is a partnership with Create Streets, organised by local residents and reporter David Wilcox. Below:

Letter in the Echo introducing the idea
The first Create Streets map in Leeds
The EC1 Echo map

Letter in EC1 Echo June 2020

In coming months our streets and buildings should begin to come alive again. But not everyone will be able to leave their homes, not every shop and business will re-open.

All over the world cities are re-balancing space for walking, cycling, and driving, and rethinking how we can connect while keeping some distance.

The Mayor of London recently announced sweeping changes, and we can expect more.

But how can we make an input to the way that our neighbourhoods develop physically – and also discuss supporting those places and organisations we have come to value most during the emergency?

I am inspired by an experiment in Leeds where the organisation Create Streets has published an interactive map allowing people to say what they like, dislike or wish to see improved.

With encouragement from the Echo, I’m planning a similar map covering its distribution area from Old Street roundabout to Grays Inn Road, Angel to Smithfield.

David Wilcox. david@socialreporter.com

The Leeds Create Streets map

You can view the Leeds map here.

How an EC1 map will work

Draft introduction for the EC1 Echo map

Coronavirus is changing our neighbourhoods. Emergency restrictions highlight what is important to us - whether a street or open space, or a place that is active or closed.

This interactive map, developed in partnership with the EC1 Echo community newspaper, shows our distribution area. We are inviting readers, and anyone else interested, to show what they value, and also where changes may be needed in our area or nearby.

The community response to coronavirus has been amazing, and this map is just one way to explore what has happened, and how to build on it. Over the next three months we will gather responses, and run online workshops to explore where next.

The overall challenge - how can we build on the citizen-led response to the coronavirus emergency in order to support personal wellbeing and develop resilient communities

What do I do?

1. Find somewhere you like, dislike or would like to see improved

2. Click on it!

3. Choose a colour to represent how you feel about it

4. Tell us why

Drag the yellow person-icon on the right to a location to see what it looks like now.

There’s more under the News tab. Please add your email here (form) if you are interested in events or other developments. It is not required for map entries.

Launching the map

We are planning a three-stage process, starting in June 2020:

Developing a demonstration of the map, inviting people to test it, and inviting more partners to join us. If you would like to help, please get in touch with david@socialreporter.com
Promoting the map through the Echo and partners, and building the markers and comments. Reporting developments on this site and elsewhere.
Following through with online workshops and other activities to explore how we can put some improvements in place.

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