The Village

Glasgow at one time was made up of villages. This is where the search for common good begins. Every village had a commons for feeding cattle, holding fairs and town events. Usually there would be a blacksmith nearby as this is the place most towns evolved around. The blacksmith was very important to town life as most things had to be made.

These places such as village greens, formed part of the tradition of township and citizenship and created a useful place for meetings where all could speak up and voice their opinions. Parks also served this function and still do.

The problem is when the village square or green is supplanted by the shopping mall we not only lose local shops and traditions, we also lose the right to speak – for there is no such thing as free speech in the shopping mall. Just as our parks are open to all – a steady influx of businesses no mater how benevolent they may feel or be change the status of the park by creating a mindset open to competition. This is very difficult to control as time passes as the nature of business is to gain profits. If we need things in our parks why can’t the parks department run them? And parks remember are the nearest we have to our village green.

Q.What are your solutions to control what goes into our parks