Activity 1.4: then and now

Introduction

In this activity, students take a street-view tour of contemporary Pyrmont and reflect on differences between Pyrmont today and the Pyrmont of 1994 shown in Concrete city, 1994: Save our park.

In response to the video clip and the street-view tour, students participate in a debate about the pros and cons of urban renewal from the two perspectives of the developers and of the residents.

Students reflect on the different perceptions that people have about the liveability of a particular location and the implications of urban renewal for community connectedness.

Resources

• Video clips that could be used to discuss the idea of differing perceptions of liveability:
  • Concrete city, 1994: Save our park
  • Waterloo, 1981: Controlled development
  • Poor Man's Orange, 1987: Slum clearance
• Map tool such as SpatialGenie or Google Maps
• Visual thinking tools: graphic organiser templates that could be used to support preparation for the debate, such as the Fishbone diagram, Development compass rose and T-chart, are available at http://www.globaleducation.edu.au/1840.html

• Activity stepsShow details
  1. Using SpatialGenie or Google Maps, students take a street-view tour of contemporary Pyrmont.
  2. Ask students to reflect on differences between Pyrmont today and the Pyrmont of 1994 shown in Concrete city, 1994: Save our park. You may also wish to show them the video clips Waterloo, 1981: Controlled development, and Poor Man's Orange, 1987: Slum clearance, which feature similar issues.
  3. In response to the video clips and the street-view tour, have students prepare and participate in a debate about the pros and cons of urban renewal drawing from the perspectives of the developers and those of the residents.
  4. Ask students to reflect on the different perceptions that people have about the liveability of a particular location (this could be an imagined amalgam of several different areas) and the implications of urban renewal for community connectedness.