SIT IN
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Location: Noel Street Green, Toxteth, Liverpool
Realisation start: 12.-21.08.2006
Commission: Include Neighbouhood Regeneration
With: Michael Simon, Neighbourhood Develpment Worker
Funding:Include, Biko Housing Association

WHAT IF the large areas of derelict land that characterise Toxteth would be utilised by the local community and become an asset rather than a void that devides?

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Over the last few decades due to the decline of employment in the shipping port and the general demise of manufacturing industriesphysical.50% of the population left the inner city are of Liverpool. This movement of a population away left voids within the urban fabric of Toxteth that manifest itself both physically and socially.

SIT IN is a strategy that aims link the unused and derelict land to the fragmented and culturally diverse local communities. SIT IN aims to conceptualize new uses for derelict sites in the Granby area through the active participation and stewardship of the local population.

What if on a warm summers day 55 benches were to appear on Noel Street Green?

If every household in the Noel Street neighbourhood were given ownership of a park bench and invited to place it on the square, how might Noel Street Green be transformed?
Would people begin to sit and linger in the space? Might young and old get the chance to hangout together? Would residents gather there with their neighbours? Could it become a place for parties or barbecues? Would the community start to adjust the Green and personalise and modify their own benches? Would this space begin to be cared for and maintained?

Through the allocation of benches the Noel Street Green neighbourhood was made visible in their local public space.

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Programme:

August 06
Bench assembly
Bench painting
Bench Party
Breakfast
Tea Dance
Cinema Night
Question Time
BBQ
September 06
Youth Bus stops on Noel Street
Flower basket workshop with Phil Lillywhite, Include
Bench relocation to front of houses
October 06
Formation of Noel Street Green Tenant and Resident Association
SIT IN workshop
1000 bulb planiting on NSG
November 07
SIT IN at SITE Gallery as part of Shrinking Cities exhibition
December 07- January 08
OUT-POST container stops on Lodge Lane. The container will become the NSG TRA meeting room

The SIT IN event represents the starting point for a strategy that aims to utilise and make accessible unused and derelict land. The role of the What if team was to facilitate the engagement of all local residents in defining a new future for Noel Street Green.

How can we use the fenced off green spaces in the Noel Street area?

STEP 1: Grow Noel Street Green
October 2006, planting of 1000 bulbs on Noel Street Green

Benches along Noel Street 06 - ongoing.

14 Nov. 2007 - 20 Jan. 2008
Benches at the SIT IN in the Site Gallery, Liverpool as part of the Shrinking Cities exhibition.

STEP 3:
Meeting room for TRA + Youth Forum
start: Dec. 2008
with: Michael Simon from NSG TRA

The OUT-POST travelling container is currently used for exhibitons, meetings, workshops etc. in Granby. At the end of ist journey in the autumn 08 it will become the meeting room for the Noel Street Green Tenant and Resident Association.
Funding: Shrinking Cities

Workshop with newly formed Noel Street Green TRA in Oct. 2006 who stressed the need for a meeting room during the SIT IN event in August.

Potential meeting room site opposite Noel Street Green. The OUT-POST would be moved to this location in the autmn 2008.