M
I live in an apartment building in the central city. I am always, you know, out doing things in the city, going for walks, spending time with friends and family. I love getting coffee and just sitting in the sunshine and enjoying the sort of connection to nature, but also the life that goes on, the diversity of things that are happening.
Even if you’re walking down the same space, you’re seeing different people, you’re seeing different events, that just makes it feel alive and just interesting to me. It feels like there’s so much more life than there used to be in the city.
I have an interest in making places accessible for disabled people, young people, queer people, people that didn’t have a place, having felt that myself. Especially in the city. If you don’t have much money, or you don’t drink, or you’re younger, you’ve basically got Tūranga. And if that’s not your vibe? Yeah, it feels like we don’t really have those spaces.
The example I always think about is the bus interchange. Half of it shuts down at 2pm so teenagers don’t hang out there, and it’s like, where else do you want them to go? You’re explicitly told, hey, this place is not for you, get out of here.
If you’re not giving people these spaces they’re not gonna feel that connection to community and that place. That’s what I felt. I was 18 and this city was telling me, hey, you’re not supposed to be here.
But what would the city be like if we did provide these sorts of places? How can we make this stuff happen? It started as a passion project but I’m trying to make it into work.
Making some of those creative things a bit more visible, I think, is an amazing opportunity for the city, whether that is like, you know, artist spaces or youth hubs or places for people to play video games. I want them to be able to have the autonomy to say; ‘hey, this is what I want’.
I’m someone who likes art, I like talking about it, I just enjoy having creative stuff going on. And it gives life to places, it’s what makes life interesting. You can get from point A to point B – but what’s the point if you’re not enjoying it? What’s the point if there’s nothing colourful in your day to day, if you’re just stuck in your same bubbles without hearing other people’s voices?