Mapping Change for Sustainable Communities
East London and the Thames Gateway are facing big
changes in the coming years. The Mapping Change for
Sustainable Communities project is using mapping to
make getting involved a little easier – and a lot more
effective.
www.communitymaps.london21.org
Fig 1. Paper based mapping
Community engagement involves a series of
workshops to highlight facilities , local organisations
and events (Fig. 1) that are captured and form part of
an interactive local map, that will serve as a
community resource (Fig. 2). Various local issues and
concerns are identified, and the exploration of
different methodologies to tackle some of these. The
maps draw together a variety of information gathered
by local people, and highlight their identified
priorities. They will be managed and maintained by
the local community who will decide what should be
displayed on the local map.
Project particulars:
Funded by the UrbanBuzz programme
Duration: 19 months
The Royal Docks community
expressed concerns over noise
pollution from London City
Airport. Provided with noise
meters by UCL and London 21,
local residents were trained in
how to use the devices, to
conduct their own local noise
monitoring. The outcome of
this monitoring is the creation
of
. a noise map of the area (Fig.
4)..
Fig 3. Noise
monitoring in
Royal Docks
In Hackney Wick, children from a local primary
school used paper and web-based mapping to
familiarise students with the surrounding area
and its various facilities (Fig. 5), and to encourage
a sense of pride in their community, in addition to
acquiring map reading skills. Working with the
teachers throughout, activities were closely
related to the current school curriculum. The
outcome is a map of the children's work on the
schools website and their own layer on the
community map.
Fig 5. Paper mapping field trip with
children from Gainsborough Primary
School
Community members also raised an interest in
capturing local history, and work to develop a
historic element to the Hackney Wick map has
started. This will provide a way to capture local
heritage and ensure that focal elements, such as
the allotments and playing fields, are not
forgotten and will hopefully be integrated into
new developments.
Fig 4. Royal Docks Noise Map
For further details contact:
louise.francis@london21.org