Windrush Square, Brixton - news and discussion

[rover07]

What was wrong with the old square? Looking at it on Google Streetview, it looked lovely...very green with a brick wall you can sit on. Adding more bike racks and a fountain shouldnt cost £10 million surely?

 

[rover07]

It is mainly the fruit from the plane tree that has been staining the stone I believe.

The grass has been concreted over...so they may as well cut down the tree too!

 

[Crispy]

The grass has been concreted over...so they may as well cut down the tree too!

It's not concrete, it's quite nice stone

 

[Gixxer1000]

I can't explain why it isn't a 'rip off' because as I keep saying I am expressing no view as far as the cost is concerned.

Fairly intrical to your Poll though isnt. So hypothetically, assume it cost more than 1.5m

It might be possible to do so if you were to give us some details of these other projects you are comparing it with.

Since you wouldnt know their detailed scope, you wouldnt (apparently) be able to make a conclusion. Besides you appear to know nothing about construction and I have neither the time nor inclination to educate you.

 

[Badgers]

It's not concrete, it's quite nice stone

I never realised it was stone!!



Sorry there was no count this morning, I will report back later

 

[Gixxer1000]

From your vitriol and defensive stance you appear to have a vested interest please declare this.

 

[London_Calling]

Yep, kind of getting used to the morning photos and reports now


I wonder if the glory that is Lambeth BC will perhaps try a Henry the Hoover today . . . .

 

[rover07]

It's not concrete, it's quite nice stone

Ok, stone.

Grass would be easier to maintain though. Sap from the tree and piss would soak into the ground. Also the sight and smell of fresh grass has a positive effect in busy urban areas IMO

 

[teuchter]

"Vitriol"?!


My "vested interests":

- Brixton resident
- Supporter of principle of investment in public space
- Supporter of principle of road/street design aimed at improving things for pedestrians/public transport users.

 

[Gramsci]

See the last three options in the poll.

Also, the poll allows me to see whose opinion is most likely to be reliable. For example, anyone choosing options 5, 6, 7, or 8 may be worth paying attention to.

Only one person ("bob") has answered that they do know how much it cost but sadly they have made no contribution to the thread to share their knowledge with us. We also have gixxer1000, who claims to have benchmarked the cost against other costs. However, they have also declined to share the actual cost, or any details of other comparable schemes, for reasons which are not very clear.

Incorrect Teuchter. There is nothing in the poll about validity.

I might think my opinion on the square is valid even if I say i dont know how much it costs.

If you wanted a poll about validity you should have put different questions.

 

[tarannau]

This isn't about canvassing people's real opinions or specific questions, this is Teuchter's petty attempt to reduce discussion on the other thread into a simple 'good value' question, so that he take some fatuous 'conclusions' from an artificially limited debate.

To be fair, it hasn't worked very well. He looks like a bit of a plum

 

[editor]

This isn't about canvassing people's real opinions or specific questions, this is Teuchter's petty attempt to reduce discussion on the other thread into a simple 'good value' question, so that he take some fatuous 'conclusions' from an artificially limited debate.

To be fair, it hasn't worked very well. He looks like a bit of a plum

I'd have to agree with you there. He's turned what could have been an interesting discussion into a slightly obsessive mission to 'prove' something or another.

 

[Gramsci]

See the last three options in the poll.

Also, the poll allows me to see whose opinion is most likely to be reliable. For example, anyone choosing options 5, 6, 7, or 8 may be worth paying attention to.

Only one person ("bob") has answered that they do know how much it cost but sadly they have made no contribution to the thread to share their knowledge with us. We also have gixxer1000, who claims to have benchmarked the cost against other costs. However, they have also declined to share the actual cost, or any details of other comparable schemes, for reasons which are not very clear.

So this poll is really about u finding out whose opinion u think is valid.

U dont say this in your poll questions or the the question u put.

I assumed as the question is about ones opinion about the value of the square it was about that. Now u reveal its about u using a poll for a different purpose.

If u wanted to do a poll on validity of opinions u should have done it like this:

"Do u think its valid to have an opinion on the value for money of the square if u dont know or cant 100% independanly verify the actual cost of the square?"

Yes
No
I Dont care

 

[Gixxer1000]

If they have now decided to be concerned about staining to the concrete (or reconstituted stone) then perhaps they should ban events vehicles from parking on the square.

 

[teuchter]

Incorrect Teuchter. There is nothing in the poll about validity.

Are we arguing about the difference between a "valid" opinion and a "qualified" opinion? This seems a little pedantic.

I might think my opinion on the square is valid even if I say i dont know how much it costs.

But your opinion on the cost of the square would not be valid if you didn't know the cost of the square.

If you wanted a poll about validity you should have put different questions.

I wanted a poll that asked the questions that were asked in the poll that I posted. And that is what I got, seeing as I was kind enough to provide myself with exactly what I wanted.

 

[rover07]

Do you think £10 million is good value for money Teuchter?

 

[London_Calling]

I note from the poll 50 people think it's at least an improvement and 4 thing it's worse than before.

I make that a 92.6% approval rating. Not often Lambeth get that.

/lies, damn lies and statistics . .

 

[rover07]

Seems a lot just to repave a small area and take out some railings. Then add a few chairs, bike stands and a couple of bits of street art.

 

[rover07]

Anyone know how much the 2 giant turds and the elephant cost?

 

[rover07]

Say a million pounds each...plus the fountain. So thats £4 million.

 

[teuchter]

Do you think £10 million is good value for money Teuchter?

My opinion is that I can not form an opinion at present due to lack of details

I don't know if it would be a staggeringly anything cost for a public square refurbishment in London because I don't know what the cost generally of a public square refurbishment in London is.

But in any case I'm not making any assertions about the cost,

Indeed it is (at least, without doing a large amount of research which I don't have the time or inclination to do), as I have stated many times.

.

I can't explain why it isn't a 'rip off' because as I keep saying I am expressing no view as far as the cost is concerned.

.

 

[teuchter]

Where do you get this £10 million figure from, rover07?

 

[tarannau]

Hey Teuchter, can you think of any other uses for that near £10 million that may pay greater dividends in Brixton, or is that beyond the scope of this artificially limited, slightly snide thread?

You seem to be constantly evading this point see.

 

[rover07]

Somewhere in the thread £9.7 million is quoted. I've rounded it up.

 

[rover07]

They should have come to me. I would have done it for £1 million.

Ok the elephant would have been a bit crappy as im no sculptor.

 

[tarannau]

The elephant was extra anyway. And it's gawn now anyhow

 

[rover07]

I guess you could get an art student to make one though.

How much? £5000 say would be a fair price.

 

[rover07]

The elephant was extra anyway. And it's gawn now anyhow

Oh why?

 

[tarannau]

Charitee stole it!

 

[Mation]

It seems that the previous figure of £9.5m was inaccurate.

In fact, it cost another £200,000, taking the total to a fairly staggering £9.7m (see other thread for source).

How much does this sort of thing usually cost?