TRAIN TRACKS OF CHANGE NEXT STOP: THE RE-MAKING OF THE RAIL CORRIDOR

Abstract

Through a relational approach to place, I examine the planned transformation of the Rail Corridor - presently an informal linear green public space into a vibrant community space that combines accessibility, activity, heritage and green elements and biodiversity. Through go-alongs with local users of the Rail Corridor, interviews with members of the Rail Corridor Partnership as well as participant observation and site visits to the Corridor, my research examines how ideas of redevelopment, sense of place and public participation influence how landscapes are valued, experienced, produced and contested. I argue for a more sensitive approach to planning and redevelopment that accounts for the value of landscapes as not just opportune and capable of wider and more efficient use, but also where meaningful and important interactions take place and which enables one’s sense of place to be retained amidst urban change. While my research covered several practical and ideological reasons driving the decision to develop the landscape, local Corridor users revealed their preference for its more ‘natural’ elements, fearing over-development and a state of placelessness. I also found increased efforts by the State to engage the public and civil society in the decision-making and planning process, however, a lack of confidence by participants served to hinder the overall effectiveness of public participation. The awareness gained from my research helps strengthen the knowledge base for local urban redevelopment plans and contributes to theoretical studies of landscapes and place from a new cultural geographic and relational perspective. Lastly, my research serves as a historical recount of the Corridor and a baseline for future studies to draw from to study the place once redevelopment is complete.